Lewis Hamilton feeling ‘connected’ to new Ferrari car at test sessions
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Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton at a press conference during pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Feb 18, 2026.
PHOTO: REUTERS
SAKHIR – Lewis Hamilton on Feb 18 said that Ferrari’s new car has his “DNA” within it as the seven-time former world champion put it through its paces on the first day of the second pre-season test in Bahrain.
Hamilton was seventh-fastest on the day and managed 44 laps, while his teammate Charles Leclerc put in 70 and was 0.6sec faster in third place.
After a miserable first season at Ferrari in 2025, the Briton said he felt in sync with the Scuderia’s new car – the SF-26.
“Last year we were locked into a car that ultimately I inherited,” Hamilton said.
“This is a car that I’ve been able to be a part of developing on the simulator for the last 10 months.
“And so a bit of my DNA is within it. I’m more connected to this one, for sure.”
For the first time in his career, Hamilton failed to even muster a podium finish last term as he struggled to adapt to his new surroundings.
But he said he is entering the new season in a positive frame of mind.
“I really felt like I spent a lot of time rebuilding over this winter, refocusing, really getting my body and my mind to a much better place,” the 41-year-old said.
“I generally feel, personally, in the best place that I’ve been in a long, long time.
“And then the car, we’ve started off quite well so far. It’s an exciting time with this new generation of car.”
Every car on the grid has undergone a radical change since the end of last season following dramatic regulation changes to both chassis and engines.
But the four teams that topped the constructors’ standings last season – McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari – appear increasingly dominant.
The objective of these tests is to accumulate laps to collect as much data as possible on the reliability of the hybrid units – 50 per cent thermal, 50 per cent electric – and the behaviour of the single-seaters, before the first Grand Prix of the season in Melbourne on March 8.
Hamilton’s former title rival Max Verstappen, however, does not feel the same connection to his 2026 Red Bull car.
The Dutch four-time former champion has been outspoken about the new crop of cars, saying last week that his Red Bull was not much fun to drive and more like “Formula E on steroids”. AFP, REUTERS
