Nigel Mansell just made the same Lewis Hamilton prediction for 2026 that aged terribly last year

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Almost everyone made predictions about Lewis Hamilton’s first season as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver, and almost everyone was probably wrong.

It was expected that the seven-time champion’s move to Maranello would be the fresh start he needed after a difficult end to his time at Mercedes. It was also hoped that Hamilton would be the driver Ferrari needed to bring a title back to F1’s most successful team.

However, the 2025 campaign was nothing short of a disaster for Ferrari. They went winless across the season, with Hamilton going without a podium in a calendar year for the first time in his career.

Will we see the real Lewis Hamilton return in 2026?

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Hamilton ‘resented’ his first season at Ferrari because he had little influence over the team’s strategy. In most cases, his suggestions fell on deaf ears – he even sent documents to the factory on two occasions, and the response he got was a public bashing from chairman John Elkann.

But in 2026, Hamilton is ‘galvanised’ at Ferrari as the team appears to be finally listening to him. He has had a stronger influence over the development of the SF-26, giving detailed feedback on multiple components.

With the new regulation changes, it is a clean slate for the 41-year-old, and one that could bring him and Ferrari some success. Ahead of the season, Nigel Mansell gave his prediction for Hamilton’s season, and it is the same mistake he made last year.

Nigel Mansell again predicts Lewis Hamilton to have a ‘fantastic’ season with Ferrari in 2026

Like many hopeful fans, the 1992 F1 champion thinks Hamilton is still capable of winning his eighth world championship, provided that Ferrari can give him the car. Mansell does not think his age will be a problem.

He told The Observer: “I don’t want to put any pressure on him but I think Lewis is going to have a fantastic year. He’s a young 41. He’s strong as an ox and super fit.

“If Ferrari put the car underneath him that he deserves, he can do the business still and get that magical eighth world title. I don’t think it’s over yet.”

Back in 2025, Mansell predicted Hamilton to have a ‘monumental’ season and that he would surprise people. In reality, he had what is arguably his worst season in F1.

Nigel Mansell has made a bold prediction for Lewis Hamilton in 2026 👀

Do you agree with him?

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The Brit has effectively repeated his terribly-aged 2025 prediction in 2026, and it could well end up the same way, especially when all the noise coming from Ferrari and Hamilton’s car is overwhelmingly negative.

Ferrari are ‘concerned’ about their energy management following the data Hamilton and Charles Leclerc collected in Barcelona. Gary Anderson thinks Ferrari are ‘in the middle’ in terms of development, which is not where they will want to be in 2026.

Only time will tell where the Maranello outfit end up in the season, but early signs are not too encouraging, and Mansell’s prediction for Hamilton could backfire once again.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Nigel Mansell hopes for a ‘fantastic’ 2026 championship after Lando Norris’ title win in 2025

Ferrari will be hoping to take the fight to the frontrunners in 2026. Lando Norris will be defending his crown with McLaren, having beaten Max Verstappen by just two points in 2025.

Mansell thinks it will be an ‘incredibly exciting’ championship, and that Norris may have an extra ‘half a second’ in him after winning the title last year.

“He’s so young, he’s got the world at his feet,” said Mansell. “He’s going to get better, he’s going to be more confident this year. He’s going to have another half a second in his pocket when he wants to push.

“He’s the world champion, when anybody wears that mantle, it puts a stride in your step. You’ve done it; you’ve achieved it. It’s the most momentous thing to achieve, the world champion of anything.

“All power to his elbow, I think 2026 is going to be a fantastic championship. Mercedes are hot favourites, McLaren are there and Ferrari are there, which is incredibly exciting.”