Lewis Hamilton said he still sees “certain individuals”, that did not experience “anywhere near the success that I’d had”, continue to talk negatively about him.
It was a great feeling for Hamilton, therefore, to start out F1 2026 in improved form, with that elusive first Ferrari podium secured at the Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton spoke of the support he has felt at Ferrari, even during his 2025 struggles, so was delighted to deliver that result for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton says critics continue to talk ‘negative’
After a disappointing first season with Ferrari, F1 2026 has been far more encouraging thus far for Hamilton, and Ferrari as a whole.
Ferrari sits a comfortable second in the early Constructors’ standings, Charles Leclerc having provided 49 points, and Hamilton 41.
A Ferrari has been on the podium at all three rounds.
Hamilton has spoken about seeing his development influence in the Ferrari SF-26, having arrived at Ferrari when its predecessor was the completed concept, and a car which went on to receive an early shutdown in further upgrades.
In a Formula 1 interview, Hamilton was asked how much he thinks that second winter at Ferrari has helped him.
“It’s a huge difference, and it’s a huge undertaking,” he said.
“I think people, for sure, when they watch, they will not understand how big it is when you move to a new team.
“You can arrive and jump into a cockpit, but learning the new tools, particularly a different culture and a different way that people like to work, and adopting that into the way you like to work.
“And then, if you look at last year, for example, it’s the end of an era of car, we didn’t develop through the year, so we were kind of stuck with what we had, which ultimately wasn’t good enough for us to compete for wins.
“But, we took so many learnings through that last year as a team, and we’re applying those to this year, and it’s just started off so much better.”
The highlight for Hamilton thus far was his P3 in China. It was a record-extending 203rd career podium, but crucially, his first as a Ferrari driver.
That result made for one of Formula 1’s more memorable podium scenes, as Hamilton joined his Mercedes successor Kimi Antonelli, who had won his first grand prix, plus former Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Hamilton’s long-serving race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, who was with Hamilton throughout his Mercedes journey, and now race engineers Antonelli, joined the trio on the podium.
There was a feel-good nostalgia vibe for Hamilton up there.
“Obviously I had the sprint race last year, which was amazing, and my dad was there,” said Hamilton. “Then to bring my mum to China, and then have this amazing week with her, and then have my first podium, it made it incredibly special, the whole experience.
“I’ve been trying to get that podium for a long time. It felt like I’ve never had to work so hard just to get a podium. So I was very, very grateful. It felt like the first, even though I’ve been fortunate to have had quite a few.
“It felt even more special to be in red, but also to be up there with Bono and Kimi with his first win, and George. So it was very, kind of very nostalgic, I would say.”
Hamilton was asked what the mood was like down at Ferrari after that achievement.
Leclerc has taken Ferrari to the podium twice in F1 2026, while for Hamilton, that Chinese GP podium felt like an important turning point in his Ferrari story.
“Honestly, it was huge,” he said of the result. “The team have been amazing for the past year. Particularly in the garage, the support has been immense.
“Every weekend fell short last year, and I’d come back and you feel gutted, you feel bad that you’ve ultimately not been able to deliver for the team. But they’re always like, ‘Next time, next time’. They’re always just so positive and supportive.
“So to finally have the podium, and come back and see how happy and how grateful they were to be a part of it, and for us to have that result, really warmed my heart.
“So that just encourages me to continue to push even harder and continue to dig deep and continue to build with the team.”
Hamilton, though, says that he still sees critics out there trying to pull him down.
It was late last season that Hamilton got firm, as talk surrounding his Ferrari and F1 future intensified.
Hamilton bluntly stated that those questioning him were “not even on my level“, having been informed that former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg – who beat Hamilton to the title in 2016 – was among the retirement talkers.
“When you have difficult years, there’s lots of questions all over the place,” said Hamilton in a fresh address of criticism which he claims to still see, from unconfirmed sources.
“I saw some of the certain individuals, that hadn’t had anywhere near the success that I’d had, just talking negatively, as they continue to do so today.
“And it felt great to be able to come back and come into this season and start off strong, to be able to show that I still have what it takes to compete at the front.
“I’ll continue to try and show up and deliver in that way.”
