Fittipaldi Backs Hamilton for F1 2026 Title Fight with Ferrari

Two-time Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi has expressed his delight at Lewis Hamilton's resurgence at Ferrari, hoping the British driver can mount a serious championship challenge in the second half of the 2026 season.

Hamilton is in his second year with the Maranello squad. After a challenging debut season that raised questions about his form against teammate Charles Leclerc, Fittipaldi believes the seven-time champion has silenced his critics with a strong first half, sitting second in the drivers' standings.

"I was so happy to see Lewis and Ferrari going fast," Fittipaldi told F1.com. "I remember last year… it happened to me in IndyCar, and in F1, when you get older people start saying, 'Well, he cannot drive', and everybody last year criticised Lewis. 'He cannot beat Leclerc, he's too old'. Now he's going strong. For the sport it's good, for the fans it's good. Seeing Ferrari winning again, and Lewis winning again, is fantastic."

Baca JugaFittipaldi Dukung Hamilton Bersaing Perebutkan Gelar F1 2026 bersama Ferrari

Fittipaldi also highlighted the technical regulation changes that made the 2026 cars smaller with less downforce, which he believes favors drivers with exceptional car control like Hamilton. "One thing that nobody talks about a lot is the new car. It's smaller, with less downforce, and to me it makes it harder to drive fast. It brings out more talent," he explained.

"That's one of the reasons why Lewis improved, because of his car control, his feeling for the car – he's an extremely talented driver. He's working in his second year with Ferrari, he knows the engineers, and he knows the system," added Fittipaldi.

Looking ahead, Fittipaldi is eager to see Hamilton take the fight to the wire. "I really hope Lewis challenges for the championship," the Brazilian added. "It'd be extremely good to see Lewis and Ferrari running stronger, to dice with Mercedes. I hope so. I have a lot of respect for Fred Vasseur. When I owned the A1 Team Brazil [in A1 Grand Prix], Fred [and his ART Grand Prix outfit] ran our team and did a great job. He's a good guy, a top guy. I think now he knows the Italians well! So, it should be good, the second part."

Reported by Motorsport.com, Fittipaldi's support adds to the growing confidence in Hamilton's title prospects with Ferrari this season.