Lewis Hamilton will love when Ferrari are going to make a judgement call on switching their full focus to 2026

Follow us on Google Discover

The first quarter of the 2025 Formula 1 season is over and the upcoming triple-header marks the start of another relentless run of races up to the halfway stage of the campaign.

So far, Oscar Piastri has been the star of the season, with the Australian picking up four wins already, but the F1 calendar offers his closest rivals the opportunity to enter the drivers’ championship race.

Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and George Russell have all been outstanding this season, but Ferrari are conspicuous in their absence from both title fights.

Fred Vasseur’s outfit are already 152 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship, and Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s points tally combined wouldn’t be enough to overtake any of the top three drivers in the individual standings.

This begs the question of whether Ferrari should concentrate on trying to make up ground this year with time already running out, or whether 2026’s new regulations should be their focus.

For Hamilton, it makes sense to try and extract every last bit of potential out of this year, given he’s unlikely to have the same longevity within the team as Leclerc.

And it sounds like his wish may be granted.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Ferrari will make first 2026 focus switch decision at the Belgian Grand Prix

A report from Formula1.it has shared more details about the thought process going on behind the scenes at Ferrari this season.

Ferrari have prepared an update package for Imola, but all of their rivals are also constantly looking to improve at this stage of the campaign.

The likes of Williams and Sauber are already fully focused on 2026, which makes what James Vowles’ team is doing this year even more impressive.

The report suggests technical chief Loic Serra is ‘ready to bet on the SF-25 for a long time to come,’ highlighting that more work is being done to this year’s car to try and catch the three teams ahead of them in the standings.

A major rear suspension update is being worked on at Ferrari which could help solve some of the issues Hamilton in particular has been struggling with this year.

The story goes on to say that this year’s car will be the focus in Maranello until the summer break after the Belgian Grand Prix.

Modifications will be delivered at Monza as they are every year at Ferrari, and in Singapore, but after the race in Spa, they may decide to direct their ‘entire budget’ to next year’s machine.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

Lewis Hamilton will want 2025 improvements immediately to justify Mercedes move

Currently, Hamilton sits behind Mercedes pair George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the championship which is the last thing he would have wanted after his winter switch.

Hamilton was delighted for Antonelli after his Sprint pole in Miami, but he won’t want to see the Italian drive off into the distance at Imola.

After his move, Hamilton only has a two-year initial contract with Ferrari, meaning that every race counts in his bid to become an eight-time world champion.

The 2025 season appears to be a write-off in that respect, but there’s a lot they can still learn about next year’s car from this year even if the regulations are changing.

Hamilton won’t want to see Ferrari simply giving up at this early stage of the campaign, as it may set a bad precedent for the Scuderia going forward.