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Lewis Hamilton knows the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 season is going to be crucial to cementing his legacy at Ferrari.
There aren’t many records that Lewis Hamilton hasn’t set during his prolific F1 career.
Fernando Alonso’s longevity means Hamilton may never become F1’s most experienced driver, and he’s narrowly missed out on four drivers’ championships across his career that would have seen him become the sport’s most successful driver.
Hamilton decided to join Ferrari for the final chapter of his Formula 1 career, but after his first year with the team, neither party will be satisfied with how their partnership has started.
The 40-year-old is still waiting for his first podium with the team, while Ferrari took a significant step backwards in 2025.
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Karun Chandok has questioned Ferrari’s radio conversations with Hamilton throughout the season, and it’s clear that the decisions the team made with the development of their car backfired.
Damon Hill has now provided Hamilton with some advice before he takes on the upcoming 2026 campaign.
He believes that in an effort to get up to speed as quickly as possible at Maranello, Hamilton might have taken on too much, and it hurt his performance.
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Damon Hill tells Lewis Hamilton he ‘overdid the workload’ at Ferrari in 2025
Hill was asked about Hamilton on the Drive to Wynn Podcast and said: “I think they’ve all done a great job. This season is gruelling.
“I mean, they get paid well, and they’re doing the job they love, but, at 24 races and different time zones all over the place, it takes its toll.
“They definitely will need a break after this one. And mentally, I think it’s exhausting.
“I think Lewis, particularly, never really recovered from 2021.
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“I mean, he went into the next few seasons, and the car wasn’t competitive, and he struggled there. And I think he was demotivated, and he went to Ferrari as a kind of way to give himself another chance.
“I think he maybe overdid the workload. He was everywhere promoting and working, and trying to get to know the team.
“I think he probably needs a rest. I definitely agree that out of all of them, he probably needs to go away and just enjoy life.”
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How Ferrari are already preparing to help Lewis Hamilton in 2026
Although the 2025 campaign has only just ended, Ferrari are starting to put the finishing touches to their preparations for next season.
A brand new ruleset should shake up the competitive order on the Formula 1 grid, which Ferrari will hope could see them jump from fourth to first next season.
Ferrari have made two key hires that could immediately help Hamilton as he continues the bedding-in process at Maranello.
Much has been made of the seven-time world champion not having Peter Bonnington as his race engineer, and Ferrari have been told to replace Ricciardo Adami to help Hamilton’s communications with the team.
On top of this, Ferrari are preparing a new steering wheel for Hamilton that will more closely resemble what he used at Mercedes.
They’re abandoning aspects of the wheel Sebastian Vettel designed, in part because of the upcoming rule changes and the new mechanics Hamilton and all of his rivals will have to deal with while in the car.
Hamilton said after the final race in Abu Dhabi that he was throwing his phone away before next season, which might allow him to follow Hill’s advice and relax like he needs to.
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