"FIRED UP": HAMILTON DESCRIBES THE VIBRATION OF FERRARI’S NEW 2026 HYBRID ENGINE
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have completed the first shakedown of the Ferrari SF-26. Discover the 2026 specs and quotes.
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Lewis Hamilton can’t hide how excited he is about the 2026 season. Getting his hands on Ferrari’s new car for the first time after the big launch—it’s a moment he’s been waiting for. The SF-26 rolled out on Friday, and Hamilton jumped in for a shakedown at Fiorano, with Charles Leclerc taking his turn later. Seeing the car up close, feeling all those months of work come together, it really hit him.
“Just waking up here at Ferrari, it’s honestly something else,” Hamilton said, grinning like a kid. “I’ve spent the last week or so here, watching the car come together. You really see how hard everyone works—walking past their desks, catching the energy in the air.
“All those hours in the simulator, every bit of planning, and finally, you see the car in one piece. That’s the best part of the year for me. Everyone’s work, every little part from every department, finally fits together.
“And then, to be one of only two people who actually get to drive it? That’s wild. I’m just so grateful for the team’s effort.”
When he talks about the first drive out of the garage, you can hear the excitement in his voice. “There’s nothing like when they fire up the car—you feel the engine through your whole body. They open the door, and you head down to Turn 1, and the Tifosi are right there. That’s something I’ll never get over. Days like these remind me why I love racing and why I love this sport.”
Now, he’s counting down to more time in the car at the Barcelona Shakedown next week, then two tests in Bahrain, and finally, the season opener in Australia in early March.
“If you look back at my interviews, I never used to say I was excited, but now? I’m massively excited, and I don’t mind admitting it,” Hamilton said, sounding refreshed. “It’s about new beginnings. I really focused on resetting this winter—even though it was the shortest break we’ve had, it was exactly what I needed. I’ve been working on changing old habits, dropping things that don’t help me, and just trying to show up in the best way possible.
“I can’t wait for the first proper test. Today wasn’t about pushing the limits, but just being at Ferrari—man, that’s a cool feeling. Next week, we’ll really see what this new generation of cars can do.
“After that, it’s about figuring out what everyone else has—what tricks, what ideas, what different concepts are out there. For us, it’s just about keeping our heads down and focusing on our own job.
“The team feels refreshed. So much effort has gone in from every corner of Ferrari. It’s amazing to see. We’re going to run with this energy and take things one day at a time.”
Leclerc was just as excited as Hamilton at the Maranello launch. He admitted he couldn’t really judge much from his short time in the car, but he’d been waiting eagerly to try out the SF-26 for the first time.
“I was really looking forward to it,” he said. “There’s been so much talk and effort behind the scenes just to get us to this point. We wanted to see if the car would run properly, check the sensors, and find out if everything was working the way we hoped.”
Driving at Fiorano made the moment even more special, with Tifosi lining the track and adding to the buzz.
Talking about the new regulations, Leclerc called this “one of the biggest changes in F1 history.” He explained, “We pretty much have to relearn all our routines, get a deeper grip on the systems, and figure out how to get the best out of it. It changes a lot for us as drivers—the way we drive, how we manage races. It’s a huge challenge, but honestly, that’s what makes it exciting. With all the work that’s gone on, I just wanted to finally get behind the wheel and feel it for myself. So yeah, it was a big moment.”
Leclerc, just like Hamilton, can’t wait for the season to start. “Today, I couldn’t really go flat-out, even though I wanted to. Once you drop that visor, all you want to do is push! But today wasn’t the day for that. In Barcelona, we’ll finally get to push the car and really find the limit—and that’s what matters for us drivers, being right on the edge from the very first qualifying. I can’t wait.”
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.
