Lewis Hamilton simply must improve one weakness in 2026 if he wants to compete for the F1 title

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Lewis Hamilton knows better than anyone else that he has the potential to deliver way more for Ferrari in 2026.

His debut campaign can be written off as a learning year, as he faced the harsh realities of life in motorsport after reaching the age of 40. Nothing comes as effortlessly anymore.

Ferrari have to do a better job of giving him the tools to win, otherwise, winning the drivers’ championship will never be in reach.

But Hamilton also needs to get closer to teammate Charles Leclerc, who closed the season in much better fashion than him in 2025.

It’s no secret that Hamilton is at risk of losing his seat in 2026 if he is outshone by a significant margin once more.

There were signs that Hamilton ‘gave up’ in 2025, but his team have been blamed for not making enough of an effort to integrate him. This winter will require a significant push from both sides.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton must now follow in Michael Schumacher’s footsteps to make 2026 a success at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton must improve his average race position to compete for another F1 title

Ferrari must improve ‘from top to bottom’ if they want to stand a chance of retaining both of their current drivers into 2027.

A regulation change is the perfect opportunity for some creative freedom. In January 2026, they have a fresh start, and it’s imperative that they make use of it.

Hamilton has been dealing with a ‘very alien’ feeling and has been told that his muscle memory has worsened recently.

There is one bleak statistic that suggests that may be the case, and it’s an area where he has no choice but to improve if he wants to win an eighth title.

With an average position of 7.6 at the end of every racing lap, compared to 5.0 from teammate Leclerc, being nearly three positions behind the Monegasque driver isn’t enough to beat him, let alone his rivals.

The Briton has plenty on his plate to fix, but none of it will matter in the end unless he finds a way to start beating everyone.

READ MORE: Ferrari have an ‘intelligent’ trick to get around ‘extremely complex’ FIA check with their 2026 car

Why Lewis Hamilton can afford to have hope for 2026

Heading into the 2026 F1 regulations, there are plenty of reasons why Hamilton can remain optimistic about his hopes.

Look at how Fernando Alonso is performing at the age of 44, for starters. He doesn’t appear to have slowed down much recently.

But Ferrari have started the last few regulation cycles quite well. In 2022, they won the opening two races, and won two of the first three in 2017.

If they can do the same this year, then the most important factor in a title challenge will be bringing impactful developments to their car.

That’s where they have struggled in the past as campaigns have drawn on. Hopefully, it’s somewhere that they have also improved recently.