Martin Brundle is ‘confident’ Lewis Hamilton will have a ‘better year’ after what he saw in testing

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Martin Brundle is “confident” that Lewis Hamilton can return to form in 2026, thanks to F1’s new regulations and the “innovative” concepts that Ferrari revealed in testing.

Hamilton admitted that 2025 was his “worst season ever” in F1, in what was his first year as a Ferrari driver after moving from Mercedes last term. The 41-year-old even failed to secure a single Grand Prix podium in a season for the first time in his career, which started in 2007.

The seven-time F1 champion’s struggles with the Scuderia were compounded by team boss Fred Vasseur stopping the development of Ferrari’s 2025 car last April. He wanted the team to focus their resources on designing the best car they could ahead of F1’s 2026 regulations.

F1 has introduced the biggest regulatory overhaul in its history this year, with changes made to the engine, chassis, aero and tyre rules. Formula 1 engines now feature a near 50/50 split between electrical and combustion power, and they no longer carry the expensive MGU-H.

Martin Brundle thinks Ferrari’s ‘innovative’ designs in testing will help Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari designed a small turbo for their V6 internal combustion engine (ICE) to avoid some of the issues that their rival teams had during testing in Bahrain. But while Ferrari’s small turbo helps them make quick starts, there are fears it may cause issues at power-sensitive circuits.

READ MORE: All you need to know about the 2026 F1 season, from calendar to drivers

The Ferrari SF-26 was often the centre of attention during the two tests in Bahrain over the past two weeks. Ferrari designed the rear of their 2026 F1 car with an exhaust flap in mind, as it can improve the efficiency of the rear diffuser and also seemed to help with tyre wear.

Eyes were even locked on Ferrari’s radical rear wing that flips 180° in Bahrain, even though Hamilton only used it for five laps. And Brundle believes the concepts that Ferrari revealed in Bahrain, combined with the new F1 regulations, can set Hamilton up for a stronger season.

“I hope so for Lewis [and] for Ferrari,” Brundle said on Sky Sports News (26/02, 12:07). “As Formula 1 fans, we always want Ferrari to do well, don’t we? And I’d love to see that come right for Lewis.

“He seems a bit happier. He will be great at using the tools that are available to him under the new regulations. He’s got to beat Charles Leclerc in the other Ferrari, because he’s right on it, as well.

“But a happy Lewis has always been, and not just at Ferrari, been a fast Lewis. And I have to say, Ferrari have been quite innovative over the winter, and they look in a better place than we’ve seen them for a few years now. So, I’m confident that Lewis will have a better year.”

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But Brundle does not feel Hamilton is in for an easy ride in 2026, as the 41-year-old will face lots of competition beyond just his Ferrari teammate, Leclerc. The F1 paddock has identified Mercedes as the initial team to beat, with Ferrari anywhere from the second to fourth-best.

The fight for the F1 drivers’ championship in 2026 could even be a seven or eight-way duel, with both Mercedes drivers, both McLaren drivers, both Ferrari drivers and at least one Red Bull driver in the mix. It remains to be seen whether Isack Hadjar will perform with Red Bull.

Brundle added: “Lewis transcends Formula 1 like no other driver, in my view, has before or does now. But he’s going to have a lot of young guys, not much more than half his age, to beat, as well. So, it won’t be easy for him, but I’m confident he’s in for a better season.”