Jun.16 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says an damage sustained earlier than his Ferrari debut contributed to his troublesome first season with the Maranello group.
Contemporary from his breakthrough victory in Barcelona – his first win since his remaining years at Mercedes – the seven-time world champion has revealed for the primary time that he spent a lot of 2025 carrying an damage.
“I had an enormous crash right here final yr and I carried that damage round all yr, which was actually robust,” he informed Viaplay after the Spanish GP.
The accident reportedly occurred throughout a Testing of Earlier Vehicles (TPC) session on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya earlier than the beginning of Hamilton’s first Ferrari season.
Hamilton’s return to the highest step of the rostrum has turn into one of many greatest tales of the 2026 season, with the Briton P2 within the championship between the dominant Mercedes drivers.
The 41-year-old says a mixture of renewed confidence, improved health and Ferrari’s growth progress has remodeled his fortunes.
Former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz believes the regulation modifications have additionally performed a significant function.
“This sport has no secrets and techniques,” Sainz, who was changed by Hamilton firstly of final yr, informed Marca.
“All of us have a really excessive stage of ability and variations in driving model. Some vehicles carry out properly, others poorly.
“The driving force’s energy lies in adapting and realizing easy methods to deal with all F1 vehicles.”
The Spaniard mentioned he skilled one thing related throughout his personal Ferrari profession. “It occurred to me in 2022,” he mentioned.
“It was a automotive I didn’t like in any respect, however I tailored, and by 2023 and 2024 I used to be acting at a really excessive stage.”
Sainz believes Hamilton’s revival is intently linked to the traits of the brand new rules.
“You go to a group with a automotive you want and you’re feeling like a god,” he mentioned. “It’s a way more sophisticated sport, and Lewis deserves credit score for turning it round. The change in rules was his luck.
“If he continued with final yr’s automotive, we received’t see this Lewis.”
Piero Ferrari, Ferrari’s vice chairman and the son of founder Enzo Ferrari, additionally believes the brand new technology of vehicles fits Hamilton much better.
“I’m not stunned by Hamilton’s resurgence. It’s apparent Lewis didn’t like ground-effect vehicles, and much more so, we didn’t give him or Leclerc a aggressive automotive.”
Hamilton has additionally singled out group boss Frederic Vasseur for serving to flip the scenario round after a troublesome first yr collectively.
“I feel it was very, very troublesome for him final yr,” Hamilton mentioned. “It was a severe shock to the system, as a result of I at all times communicate up if I see one thing I think about incorrect, and I’m very persistent in pushing for change.”
The Briton admits his calls for didn’t at all times make life straightforward for the Ferrari boss.
“I perceive that being on the opposite facet of that sort of stress isn’t straightforward, particularly while you’re concurrently managing a whole organisation and dealing inside a longtime tradition.”
However Hamilton says Vasseur by no means stopped backing him.
“Fred continued to imagine in me, remained an excellent buddy, an excellent teammate and ally, and at all times supported me. I needed to be very persistent in asking for some modifications, and he was the one who made them occur.”
