"WORST GENERATION": LEWIS HAMILTON SLAMS CURRENT F1 RULES, PRAYS FOR 2026 SHIFT
Lewis Hamilton is desperate for the 2026 F1 rules change, calling the current ground effect era "probably the worst one." He eyes a career-reviving change in fortune.
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari isn't thrilled with the current F1 regulations, calling them probably the worst he's seen in his career, and is really hoping for something better in 2026.
This ground-effect period has seen Hamilton's performance dip, with no race wins this year. He's pinning his hopes on a big change next season.
This upcoming rules adjustment in 2026 will be the fifth one Hamilton's experienced. Rule changes haven't always been kind to him.
Back in 2009, after being the reigning World Champion, he ended up fifth as McLaren lagged behind teams like Brawn GP. Then, 2014 kicked off an era where Hamilton dominated, grabbing six out of eight possible titles.
But 2022 marked a low point in Hamilton's career. Having never finished lower than fifth in the championship before, he's only been above that spot once in the four years of these ground effect rules.
All this has him really hoping for a comeback in 2026, especially since he feels the current rules are probably the worst he's dealt with.
"It's been quite something," he said about the different rule changes he's gone through. In '09, it all came down to how your team interpreted the rules.
“Like McLaren in 2009, I remember the first day back in the year; they said that the rules were 50 percent less downforce, so they built the car to have 50 percent downforce. I remember arriving back in January, and they’re like, ‘Oh, we’ve already hit our targets.’
“And I’ll be like, ‘Wow, is that normal?’
“We get to the first test, and there’s no downforce at all, and we’re miles off. So I learned a lot through that experience.
“Then 2014 was incredibly exciting, also just because I was in a new team and I could see the amazing work that had been done already a couple years before, particularly on the engine.
“And ’17 was cool because it was a bigger, wider car. Just looked beefier and had more downforce. It was mega.
“This generation was probably the worst one, I would say, and I’m hoping that the next one is not worse.”
Still, Hamilton isn't entirely sure about what to expect, mentioning that simulator runs left him wondering if fans will actually like the changes.
"It's tough to say what it'll be like," he admitted. I don't want to bash it or say too many bad things.
It feels really different, and I'm not sure if people will be into it. Then again, maybe it'll surprise us all and be great.
Perhaps there will be much more overtaking. Maybe it’ll be easier to overtake. I don't know.
We have less downforce and more torque. Driving in the rain, I can imagine, will be very, very, very tough, much harder than it is already with what we have today.
But as I said, we might arrive and might have a better grip than we anticipated. Whether you’ll like the fact that we’re downshifting at the end of straight and different boost parameters, it is different driving now, but it is a massive challenge for us all.
And I think that’s really what sports are all about, right? It’s about continuously challenging ourselves.
If we just did the same thing all the time, then it’d be easy.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
