Lewis Hamilton says there is “more to come” after claiming his first podium for Ferrari in Shanghai — his 26th race weekend for the team — and ending a 16-month rostrum drought. He crossed the line third in China, behind the two Mercedes drivers, having opened the year with a fourth place in Melbourne — his best season start since 2021. That form gives him momentum as Ferrari try to close the gap to early pacesetter Mercedes heading to the Japanese Grand Prix.
Hamilton says he feels “back to my best, both mentally and physically,” while accepting there are still gains to find. He highlighted learning curves with the new car, in particular energy deployment under the 2026 regulations, and believes he can extract more pace as he becomes more familiar with the package: “I do think there’s more to come.”
Observers have noticed a clear shift in Hamilton since the winter break. After a tough 2025 that left him frustrated, he returned this year with a different routine and mindset. He described this winter as his most intense training block yet, working with a new trainer from Christmas Day, spending time at Ferrari’s Maranello factory and integrating with a new engineer. He says a conscious decision made at Christmas about how to approach the season mentally has been central to his improved outlook.
The new 2026 cars also appear to suit him. The revised regulations delivered narrower, lighter cars and a 50/50 split between combustion and electrical power, changing car balance and energy management. While drivers have varied views on the new rules, Hamilton has embraced the challenge after initial reservations and praised the close, wheel-to-wheel racing — calling his on-track battle with Charles Leclerc in China some of the best racing he’s experienced in F1.
Sky Sports pundit Anthony Davidson suggested the move away from the previous ground-effect generation has been significant for Hamilton, saying the older cars didn’t match his driving style and that the current package has helped restore his qualifying speed and enjoyment. David Croft added that Hamilton’s involvement in this year’s car development — plus the likely arrival of a permanent race engineer to replace interim Carlo Santi — has been important, making him feel more part of Ferrari’s development process rather than an outsider.
Hamilton confirmed he worked closely with engineers late last year, revisiting items he’d pushed for but not influenced in 2025 and helping shape the 2026 car. Seeing those changes implemented has increased his sense of alignment with the team.
Although Hamilton’s podium was a personal milestone, Ferrari have been more frequently on the rostrum during his time at Maranello; team-mate Charles Leclerc earned seven podiums in 2025 and was third in Melbourne. What still eludes the team are race victories: Ferrari’s last win remains Carlos Sainz’s Mexico City triumph in October 2024, and Hamilton’s most recent victory dates to 2024. Hamilton says a first Ferrari win now feels “more in sight” than a year ago, but he acknowledges Mercedes currently hold a race-trim edge — he estimates they carry “four or five tenths” over Ferrari in race pace, meaning Ferrari need gains in downforce, efficiency and power.
Despite that deficit, Hamilton expressed confidence in the team’s ability to close the gap: “I really do believe in everyone back in Maranello and that it’s not an impossible feat to overcome. So yeah, forza Ferrari, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”
Formula 1 now heads to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix, with Sky Sports F1 covering the weekend; the original piece includes Sky’s broadcast schedule for the race weekend.