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Marc Surer believes Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton can utilise his “cleverness” to use the 2026 F1 regulations to his advantage, but Charles Leclerc will be quicker in qualifying.
Hamilton endured a nightmare first season as a Ferrari driver by his own admission in 2025, as the Briton produced what he also admitted was his worst campaign in Formula 1 to date. The 41-year-old failed to secure a Grand Prix podium in a season for the first time last term.
The end of the F1’s latest ground-effect era could not come soon enough for the seven-time drivers’ champion, as Hamilton also finished the 2025 season with three successive Q1 exits. Now, the 2026 F1 regulations gift Hamilton a chance to hit back with a car more to his liking.
While Hamilton did not look as comfortable in Ferrari’s 2026 F1 car during testing in Bahrain as Leclerc, the lighter and smaller cars require a driving style more in line with his favoured approach. Surer also feels the new power unit regulations might help Hamilton in the races.
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Former Brabham F1 driver Surer is confident that Hamilton’s “experience” and “cleverness” will see the Stevenage-born legend manage his energy levels well, with F1 having increased the electrical power output from a 20/80 split favouring the V6 engine to a near 50/50 split.
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But while the new regulations will help Hamilton have a “better” year in the 2026 F1 season than he enjoyed after joining Ferrari in 2025, Leclerc will be faster in qualifying. Leclerc beat Hamilton 19-5 in their Grand Prix qualifying duel in 2025, and also 4-2 for Sprint Qualifying.
Surer told Formel1.de: “He was always stronger in the race than he was in qualifying, and that will continue to be the case. I think Leclerc is an artist who simply gets the maximum out of qualifying, that’s why he has so many pole positions.
“[Leclerc will] still be faster in qualifying. But in the race, Lewis Hamilton will be able to use his experience and his cleverness. He’s done that very well in the past, managing his power and so on, that’s why I believe he’ll look better than last year.”
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Surer is not alone in suggesting that the 2026 regulations may mark the start of a revival for Hamilton after his miserable maiden campaign as a Ferrari driver in 2025. Martin Brundle is “confident” that Hamilton will be “better” in 2026, as he often looked happy during testing.
Hamilton had issues with the handling of the Ferrari SF-26 across the two, three-day tests in Bahrain this February. But his simulated race pace in the Sakhir desert proved to be his most encouraging aspect, with Hamilton’s race simulation the fastest during the first Bahrain test.
That said, Hamilton will still need Ferrari to deliver upgrades for the SF-26 if this is to be the year in which he finally fights for a record eighth F1 drivers’ championship again. Ferrari are expected to begin the 2026 F1 season as anything from the second to the fourth-best team.
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