Hamilton discloses the injury-related issue contributing to Ferrari's difficulties.

      Lewis Hamilton stated that an injury he sustained prior to his Ferrari debut played a role in his challenging first season with the Maranello team. Following his breakthrough victory in Barcelona—his first win since his last years at Mercedes—the seven-time world champion disclosed for the first time that he dealt with an injury throughout much of 2025. "I had a significant crash here last year and carried that injury all year, which was really tough," he told Viaplay after the Spanish GP. The incident reportedly took place during a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before the start of Hamilton’s inaugural Ferrari season.

      Hamilton's return to winning has become one of the standout stories of the 2026 season, with the Briton currently holding P2 in the championship behind the dominant Mercedes drivers. The 41-year-old credits a combination of regained confidence, enhanced fitness, and Ferrari’s progress in development for improving his performance.

      Former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz believes that the regulation changes have also played a significant part. "This sport has no secrets," Sainz, who was replaced by Hamilton at the start of last year, told Marca. "We all possess a high level of skill, and our driving styles differ. Some cars excel while others do not. The driver’s strength lies in their ability to adapt and manage all F1 cars."

      Sainz noted that he faced a similar situation during his own time at Ferrari. "It happened to me in 2022," he said. "I didn't like that car at all, but I adapted, and by 2023 and 2024, I was performing at a very high level." He believes Hamilton’s resurgence is closely tied to the characteristics of the new regulations. "When you join a team with a car you enjoy, you feel invincible," he remarked. "This sport is much more complex, and Lewis deserves credit for turning things around. The change in regulations worked in his favor. If he had continued with last year’s car, we wouldn’t be seeing this version of Lewis."

      Piero Ferrari, Ferrari’s vice chairman and son of founder Enzo Ferrari, also thinks that the new generation of cars is a better fit for Hamilton. "I’m not surprised by Hamilton’s comeback. It’s clear that Lewis didn’t like ground-effect cars, and moreover, we failed to give him or Leclerc a competitive car."

      Hamilton also acknowledged team principal Frederic Vasseur for his role in improving the situation after a tough first year together. "I think it was very, very difficult for him last year," Hamilton said. "It was quite the shock to the system, as I always voice my concerns when I see something wrong and am quite persistent in advocating for change." The Brit admits that his demands didn’t always make it easy for Vasseur. "I understand that being on the receiving end of that level of pressure is challenging, especially while managing an entire organization and navigating an established culture."

      However, Hamilton emphasized that Vasseur consistently supported him. "Fred continued to believe in me, remained a good friend, a great teammate and ally, and always backed me. I had to persistently advocate for certain changes, and he was instrumental in implementing them."