F1MATHS: The stat that confirms how Hamilton turned his initial Ferrari misery into a brilliant partnership in 2026

Lewis Hamilton's resurgence at Ferrari in 2026 has been one of the standout stories of the Formula 1 season. After a frustrating debut campaign with the Scuderia in 2025, the seven-time world champion has not only rediscovered his competitiveness but has also become an influential figure behind the scenes, helping shape the team's recovery.

Ahead of the introduction of Formula 1's all-new technical regulations, Hamilton reportedly took on a much more active role in Ferrari's development programme.

He held a series of meetings with team principal Frédéric Vasseur, technical chief Loïc Serra, chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna, presenting detailed documents outlining areas where he believed the team could improve both structurally and technically.

Those efforts appear to be paying dividends. Ferrari has established itself as one of Mercedes' closest challengers in 2026, and Hamilton has been a key contributor to that progress.

After claiming his first Ferrari Grand Prix podium in China, he added further top-three finishes in Canada and Monaco before securing his maiden Ferrari victory at the inaugural Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

The Barcelona win proved particularly significant. With championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli failing to score, Hamilton reduced the gap in the standings from 66 points to 41.

Strong performances continued throughout the summer, including a third-place finish at Silverstone, where Antonelli once again missed out on the top ten, allowing Hamilton to cut the deficit further to 32 points.

Although he finished fourth in Belgium after receiving a five-second penalty for first-lap contact with George Russell, Hamilton remains firmly in the title fight.

The turnaround has been remarkable considering where Ferrari and Hamilton stood just a year ago. Hamilton's first season in red was well below expectations. While he claimed Sprint victory from pole position in Shanghai, Grand Prix success proved elusive, with the Briton failing to reach the podium across the entire 2025 season.

The contrast between the two campaigns is perhaps best illustrated by the numbers.

Hamilton scored just 156 points throughout all 24 Grands Prix of the 2025 season. After only ten races in 2026, he has already surpassed that tally, collecting 159 championship points. Reaching a season-best total before the championship has even reached its halfway point underlines the scale of his revival.

Hamilton himself believes much of the improvement stems from finally driving a car that reflects his feedback.

Speaking ahead of his home race at Silverstone two weeks ago, the Ferrari driver explained that several aspects of the SF-26 were developed directly from suggestions he had made during his difficult first season with the team.

"One being a car that I really have helped develop," Hamilton said. "There's items on the car, for example front suspension that I'd asked for last year and had it made for the simulator and tested it there. This year, we finally got the brakes that I wanted, which was a big push."

However, Hamilton stressed that the improvements have gone well beyond the technical package.

He also highlighted changes within his engineering group and a stronger relationship with Ferrari's senior management as key factors behind the team's progress.

"I've made engineer changes within my personal team, readjusted how my group connects with the wider organisation and realigned myself with the higher powers within the team so that we're making sure we're on the same track and we're allies rather than foes," he explained.

Hamilton admitted that last year's disappointing results made it harder for his opinions to carry weight within the organisation.

"Every weekend was really difficult last year. Naturally, when you're having those results, people tend to listen to you less. It takes time to build that trust."

According to Hamilton, that trust has now been established: "I think that trust is now there, and the things that I ask for get done. It's a two-way street. We're really pushing each other forward now, and the collaboration is finally there. I think that's the most important thing."