Lewis Hamilton gave a cryptic response about whether Ferrari will act on his feedback ahead of the 2026 season, delving into the improvements needed after finishing 12th at the Qatar Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has given a guarded response when asked about Ferrari’s prospects of bouncing back in 2026, saying ‘time will tell’ whether the iconic Italian team will ‘act on the notes’ he has compiled regarding the SF-25’s performance.
At the sharp end of the grid, Max Verstappen’s seventh triumph of the campaign meant three drivers will head to Abu Dhabi with a shot at claiming the world championship. For Hamilton, a driver who has secured seven F1 crowns himself, the Qatar Grand Prix will be added to the growing catalogue of races he would rather forget in 2025.
The seven-time world champion’s weekend was essentially finished before it started following consecutive Q1 exits in both sprint and Grand Prix qualifying sessions. Come Sunday, he finished in 12th position, whilst teammate Charles Leclerc could only manage four points, benefiting from retirements for Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly, who had qualified higher up the order.
Hamilton has now gone four consecutive Grands Prix without securing a top-seven result, with his decline matching Ferrari’s worrying drop in form. The Scuderia must now accept a fourth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship following Verstappen’s sequence of nine consecutive podium appearances.
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Speaking about the Grand Prix in his post-race chat with Sky Sports F1, Hamilton commented: “I feel fine. I had a good first lap, moved some places up and then was really unfortunate with the safety car. I enjoyed it as much as I could.
Looking towards the introduction of new technical regulations in 2026, Hamilton provided a guarded evaluation. “It has definitely been the most challenging year, both in and out of the car,” he continued.
“I’ve got so many notes in terms of things we need to improve on. Time will tell whether or not we act on those things, if we keep hold of the things that are good and change the things that are not – there are plenty of those. But there is no reason why we couldn’t fix those if we just put those into action. I’m hopeful that we will make progress.”
Reflecting on his own performance, Leclerc admitted he was eager to see the back of the SF-25, whilst also acknowledging his recent difficulties. The Monaco driver is keen to conclude the season on a positive note, though it remains uncertain whether that will be achievable.
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“Yes, for sure, but at the same time, I’m looking forward to the last race to try to finish on a higher note, because it would be quite depressing to go on holiday with a race like that,” he explained.
“So I hope we can finish on a more positive note in Abu Dhabi and then look forward to next year’s car and forget about this year, which has been very tough one.”
