All of Hamilton’s hopes of an eighth world title hinge on the 2026 season and the new regulations, with his maiden campaign with Ferrari resulting in disaster.
Meanwhile, team-mate Charles Leclerc has claimed seven, and Hamilton’s former title rival Nico Rosberg has addressed the challenge of going up against a talented young team-mate.
Discussing Hamilton’s miserable 2025 with Sky Sports on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the 2016 champion illuminated the challenge of going up against drivers like Leclerc in their prime.
“Lewis is almost 41 now, and at 41 we know that you’re not going to get any faster,” he said.
“Ok, so time is not on his side either. And you have these young guns of the next generation, the best of the next generation, who are in their super prime at like 26-27 years of age, with lots of experience. Of course, that’s also not an easy feat to go up against them.”
Can Hamilton recover in 2026?
Hamilton has struggled in the ground effect era, only picking up two race wins since the rule reset in 2022, but in a recent interview offered little hope over the 2026 car either.
Speaking to the media ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton explained: “I think it’s really, really hard to predict what it’s going to be like. I don’t want to say too many negative things. It feels so much different and I’m not sure you’re going to like it.
“But maybe I’ll be surprised and maybe it’ll be amazing. Maybe overtaking will be incredible. Maybe it’ll be easier to overtake. I don’t know.”
“We have less downforce, more torque. Driving in the rain, I can imagine it’s going to be very, very, very tough. Much harder than it is already with what we have today.”
“Whether you’ll like the fact that we’re downshifting on the straight and different boost parameters. But it is a massive challenge for us all and I think that’s really what the sport is about. It’s about continuously challenging ourselves. If we just did the same thing all the time, it would be easy.”