Hamilton Sees 'Winning Mentality' at Ferrari After Shakedown

Lewis Hamilton described a buoyant atmosphere at Ferrari following a trouble-free Barcelona shakedown, saying he could feel a 'winning mentality' across the team like never before. The squad and Hamilton completed their programme on the SF-26, logging useful mileage and collecting data without significant interruptions.

Hamilton credited intensive winter work from both himself and the factory team for the smooth running, and he welcomed the consistent track time over the few days in Spain. Small issues occurred, he said, but there was no major downtime — making for what he called a very solid couple of days and an enjoyable week overall.

While acknowledging that there is still development to do, Hamilton highlighted the quality of debriefs and the clarity of communication within the team. He also said the new-generation car feels a bit more enjoyable to drive than last year, a welcome change after a challenging first season at Ferrari.

Hamilton noted that other teams, including Mercedes, Red Bull and Haas, also put in strong running at the shakedown, so Ferrari does not yet know its exact competitive position. He stressed that development and precise decision-making will be crucial and praised the fresh energy he sees across the team as they head into the next phase.

The field will regroup in Bahrain next week for the first of two official pre-season tests.