Hamilton rebuts theory he could not cope with ground‑effect cars
Lewis Hamilton has dismissed suggestions that a struggle to adapt to the ground‑effect era left him unable to extract performance from recent Formula 1 cars, saying his revival with Ferrari in 2026 shows his approach has remained fundamentally the same.
Just 11 rounds into the sport’s latest regulations cycle, Hamilton has enjoyed a marked turnaround after a difficult period. The seven‑time world champion has not only returned to the podium but recorded his first win for Ferrari at Barcelona, collecting five podiums before the summer break and re‑establishing himself among the title contenders.
Hamilton’s remarks came amid a broader debate about how drivers coped with the so‑called ground‑effect generation. He acknowledged the new cars carry their own set of characteristics but rejected the narrative that they did not suit him.
"So, there’s all this talk of how that generation of car didn’t suit me, [but I] still won more races than most, probably, in that period of time."
He said the 2026 machines, described by teams as the "Nimble Car" concept, have allowed him to drive "a little bit more like the previous generation of cars" and that the way he wins now mirrors how he approached racing in earlier turbo‑hybrid years.
From low ebb to Ferrari resurgence
Only a year earlier Hamilton’s future in the sport appeared uncertain after a bleak campaign with Ferrari’s SF‑25, which amplified problems he had experienced in the ground‑effect Mercedes cars during the 2022–24 period. That season with the Italian team proved his most testing yet: he concluded what the paddock saw as a chastening debut at Maranello without a single Grand Prix podium.
The change in fortunes this year underlines how sensitive performance can be to the concept and behaviour of the cars. Hamilton said the current generation is "just a little bit easier, more forgiving, and they’re lighter," attributes he believes have helped him recover form.
- Team: Ferrari (2026 season)
- Podiums so far (2026): Five, including a win in Barcelona
- Championship position: Chasing leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 50 points adrift at the summer break
Title chase and the road ahead
Heading into the second half of the season, Hamilton faces a significant deficit to the championship leader, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and admits there are "crucial" challenges to overcome with the 2026 cars if he is to mount a full title assault. The calendar resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix next weekend, providing an early opportunity to begin closing the gap.
Hamilton’s response has been to stress continuity in his driving method. "The races that I won in the previous generation of car, I drove exactly the same as I do today," he said, arguing that the recent downturn in results was not solely a matter of suitability to a specific car type.
| Car model | Reported effect on Hamilton |
|---|---|
| SF‑25 | Augmented previous miseries; led to a season without a podium |
| SF‑26 | Improvements under 2026 rules; associated with five podiums and a maiden Ferrari win |
While debates about driver suitability to specific car concepts are likely to continue among pundits and rival teams, Hamilton’s track record and his early‑season form give him strong credentials to contest for the title. Whether the second half of the year will provide the platform to overturn the deficit remains to be seen.
For supporters in Hamilton and across Scotland who follow Formula 1 keenly, the season offers a compelling narrative: a high‑profile driver, a striking change of team, and the possibility of a championship fight rekindled under a markedly different set of technical regulations.
