F1’s newest rule change could be exactly what Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari need after paddock ‘whispers’

Follow us on Google Discover

Lewis Hamilton was ready to write off the rest of the 2025 season after a painful Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. More than half a second slower than Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in qualifying, he was 30 seconds behind at the chequered flag.

The seven-time world champion said he didn’t anticipate finding a solution for his woes before the year was out. Perhaps he will arrive in Miami with renewed optimism – Hamilton stayed with Ferrari engineers well into the night in Jeddah, so clearly hasn’t given up – but he may be counting the days until the rule changes.

Aside from 2023, when he finished third in the championship, Hamilton has largely struggled in F1’s ground-effect era – certainly compared to the standard he set beforehand. He may hope the new generation of cars are more suited to his driving style.

Teams have already set to work on building their 2026 cars, but the exact rules are still to be finalised. The F1 Commission convened on Thursday to address the remaining areas of disagreement.

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari could be big beneficiary of F1’s catch-up rules for 2026

Hamilton left McLaren to join Mercedes back in 2013 because he believed the Silver Arrows were best-placed for the shift to hybrid engines. It was a perfectly judged gamble that made him the most successful driver ever.

Just over a decade on, he’s placed his faith in Ferrari instead. However, ‘whispers’ in the F1 paddock suggest Mercedes are building a ‘very competitive’ engine for 2026.

Indeed, it’s even been reported that Max Verstappen is ‘convinced’ Mercedes will have the best power unit. Legendary designer Adrian Newey said (via The Race) that F1 could well be an engine formula next year at least.

• READ MORE: Everything we know about F1’s 2026 regulation changes from engines to tyres

Based on the initial projections, Mercedes could be ahead of Ferrari, as well as Honda and newcomers Red Bull and Audi. But they may not have the same lasting advantage they had in the 2010s.

That’s because F1 teams have provisionally agreed to introduce a ‘catch-up’ mechanism for teams who are lagging behind in the engine department. The exact details are still to be decided, but it will be made easier to close the gap.

Helmut Marko says Lewis Hamilton is waiting for the ‘jackpot’ at Ferrari

Hamilton’s Ferrari contract contains an option for 2027, provided both teams are satisfied at the end of next year. If the Scuderia trail Mercedes in ’26, then they could use the catch-up provisions (likely to be an extra development allowance) to return to contention the following year.

This could ensure Hamilton at least has a chance to achieve his ultimate goal at Ferrari. Coming into this year, a title bid wasn’t out of the question, but it can be virtually ruled out after five races.

Despite finishing just 14 points behind McLaren in 2024, Ferrari overhauled their car this winter. They may have made their biggest mistake even before Hamilton turned a wheel.

Helmut Marko says Hamilton seems ‘desperate’ right now and is already banking on 2026. He needs Ferrari to hit the ‘jackpot’ by building a faster and more compliant machine.