Lewis Hamilton says his target is the 2026 Formula 1 championship as he starts his second season with Ferrari, after a frustrating 2025 in which he failed to reach the podium for the first time in his F1 career.
Arriving at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in a more upbeat mood, the 41-year-old said he is much happier than a year ago after spending a full season learning Ferrari’s culture and operations. Winter testing yielded useful data and, he believes, clear progress from the team and factory back home.
Hamilton said the team has learned from last year and is intent on leaving the negatives behind while building on recent improvements. He acknowledged there are still significant challenges with the new rules and regulations, but said Ferrari are sharper and better prepared.
Bahrain testing offered encouraging signs: Charles Leclerc topped running and both Leclerc and Hamilton showed strong long-run pace, giving teams a more representative look at the pecking order. Many in the paddock see Ferrari and Mercedes as favourites for Melbourne, though Hamilton suggested Red Bull might not yet have revealed their full potential.
He made clear the objective is simple — to win — and stressed the importance of maximising every opportunity and fighting at the front from the opening races. Hamilton also praised the group around him, describing the team as focused on extracting performance each weekend.
Hamilton struggled with the ground-effect cars introduced in 2022, but expects the 2026 machinery to suit his driving style better, one that can handle a car sliding while remaining under control. On social media he vowed there will be ‘no holding back’ and admitted he briefly lost sight of himself before rediscovering his form and focus.
He credited a positive break, his surroundings, support from people close to him and intense winter training — starting from Christmas Day — for his renewed energy. Cultivating a positive mental attitude and redoubling his work, he said, were key to flipping his mindset.
Off the track there have been changes: Hamilton parted ways with long-term manager Mark Hynes during the off-season, and Riccardo Adami moved to a different role at Ferrari, leaving no permanent race engineer in place yet. Carlo Santi, formerly Kimi Räikkönen’s engineer, will work with Hamilton until a permanent appointment is made. Hamilton said changes in his personal approach and smoother interactions with the team have contributed to his refreshed mindset.
The Australian Grand Prix weekend runs March 5-8 and includes practice sessions, qualifying and the race, with live coverage available for fans.