Lewis Hamilton Rebuilds Ferrari Trust Before F1 2026 Revival

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he needed to rebuild trust within Ferrari before achieving his improved form during the 2026 Formula 1 season. Following a difficult debut campaign in 2025, the seven-time world champion has now recorded four podiums, including victory in Barcelona.

Hamilton struggled to adapt to Ferrari’s car throughout last season and was consistently outpaced by team-mate Charles Leclerc. Those disappointing results also affected the extent to which his technical feedback was accepted as he attempted to guide development towards the requirements of his driving style.

Progress became more visible when several components requested by Hamilton were finally introduced on the 2026 car. He identified the front suspension as one area he had asked Ferrari to revise last year before the concept was produced for the simulator, tested and transferred to the race car.

Baca JugaLewis Hamilton Bangun Ulang Kepercayaan Ferrari pada F1 2026

“One factor is the car that I really have helped develop. There are items on the car, for example the front suspension, that I’d asked for last year,” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.

Hamilton also received a braking system that better matched his preferences after strongly pushing for the change. The combination of a more suitable front suspension and braking behaviour gave him a stronger technical platform from which to control the car, build confidence and maximise performance throughout a race weekend.

Operational restructuring also formed an important part of the process. Hamilton separated from his previous race engineer and began a new working relationship with Carlo Santi, while reorganising how his personal team connected with Ferrari’s wider technical structure.

He also worked to realign himself with the organisation’s senior leadership so that every side operated towards the same objectives. Hamilton described the process as moving away from a potentially adversarial relationship and towards a more open and collaborative partnership.

“Each weekend was a really difficult weekend last year, so naturally, when you’re having that, people tend to listen to you less. That’s taken a long time to build that trust,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton believes the situation has now changed because his technical requests are being acted upon and communication has developed into a two-way process. He considers the collaboration that has finally emerged to be the most important element behind his recovery, rather than any single performance upgrade.

Four podiums and victory in Barcelona demonstrate that the technical changes and revised working relationships have delivered measurable progress. Hamilton and Ferrari must now preserve that trust, maintain consistency and convert their improved internal synergy into sustained results throughout the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season.