Lewis Hamilton is now ‘galvanised’ after Ferrari listened to his advice for 2026 F1 car

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Lewis Hamilton is pushing for change at Ferrari ahead of the new regulations in the 2026 Formula 1 season.

His first year in Maranello was a disaster as the team went winless in 2025. Hamilton did not score a podium for the first time in a calendar year as the SF-25 lagged behind its rivals.

Ferrari’s aggressive suspension layout and subsequent upgrades failed to deliver on track. They went against what the drivers had been demanding, as Hamilton and Charles Leclerc wanted aerodynamic upgrades.

A year since this iconic shot ⏳ Be honest — one word for Hamilton’s Ferrari era so far? 👀

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This advice fell on deaf ears, however, and Ferrari later expressed regret over the direction they took with development in 2025. In 2026, the team are abandoning the pull-rod suspension as they look to return to the front of the field.

Hamilton went fastest in the Barcelona shakedown, but the test does little to show the pecking order in 2026 at this stage. Nevertheless, it seems that the Brit is more comfortable as Ferrari have finally taken his input on board.

Lewis Hamilton is ‘galvanised’ after Ferrari let him influence the development of their 2026 F1 car

Ferrari are listening to Hamilton and Leclerc’s feedback for the SF-26. They have been calling for a more stable car after their difficulties with the SF-25, and the team’s engineers have looked to address that.

One way they have done so, as per a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, is by letting their drivers have more of a say in development behind the scenes.

Hamilton ‘actively influenced’ the SF-26’s development, providing detailed feedback on several components of the car. He is banking on the new regulations bringing him success after struggling to drive the previous generation.

The 41-year-old gave input on ‘power unit’s delivery, suspension, brake distribution, and even the ergonomics of the steering wheel’s manettinos’. He has clearly had a strong influence on the 2026 car, and it looks to have paid off.

Hamilton’s initial feedback from Barcelona suggests he is in ‘better spirits’ and ‘galvanised’ by how Ferrari have listened to him. Whether it translates to performance in the season is another question.

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Lewis Hamilton is making swift changes behind the scenes

Hamilton openly described his 2025 campaign as a ‘nightmare’. He even called for himself to be replaced at the Hungarian GP, highlighting just how miserable his season was, and how dramatic changes were needed.

The Brit has not wasted time implementing these measures. Hamilton will have a new race engineer in 2026 as Riccardo Adami will take on another role at Ferrari.

Cedric Michel-Grosjean is said to be the man replacing Adami after he completes a period of gardening leave at McLaren. He worked closely with Oscar Piastri in 2025, but he joins Ferrari having never been a race engineer before.

It is not just within the team that the seven-time champion is making changes. One of Hamilton’s closest allies has joined Cadillac, as Marc Hynes parts company with the Ferrari driver for a second time.