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"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.

"Fired Up": Hamilton describes the vibration of Ferrari’s new 2026 hybrid engine
Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari stopped on track at Fiorano

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.”

KIM KARDASHIAN AND LEWIS HAMILTON SPOTTED ON ROMANTIC EUROPEAN TOUR TOGETHER

Kim Kardashian and F1 star Lewis Hamilton are turning heads across Europe as insiders reveal Kim's "Russell Wilson" nickname.

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Kim and Lewis Hamilton spark a fly in London and Paris sightings

Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are the latest celebrity duo making waves, and apparently, Kim’s already got a cheeky nickname for him. The two have been spotted out together in the Cotswolds, London, and Paris, just enjoying themselves and turning a few heads in the process.

Word is, Kim’s close friends are spilling a few details about this new romance. One insider claims Lewis isn’t looking to settle down right now, but Kim still has a special name for him—she calls him “her Russell Wilson”. If you know the reference, it’s a nod to NFL star Russell Wilson, who married singer Ciara after her high-profile breakup with rapper Future. Friends say Kim thinks of Lewis as a “sophisticated upgrade” from her ex, Kanye West.

Kim and Kanye—now legally known as Ye—were married from 2014 to 2021 and share four kids. Their co-parenting relationship is famously complicated.

Kim’s reportedly a bit anxious about how Kanye will react to her new thing with Lewis, considering Kanye and Lewis were friends back in the day. One source told the Mail, “They’re both cautious about Kanye’s feelings since he and Lewis go way back. Kim’s living for herself these days, but she doesn’t want to poke the bear. They know this could set Kanye off, so they’re keeping it light and just having fun for now.”

Kim and Lewis first crossed paths years ago at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Awards. Back then, they both showed up with their now-exes—Kim was with Ye, and Lewis was with Nicole Scherzinger.

Kanye even had Lewis over for Easter one year. He talked about it: “Lewis Hamilton’s over at my house, and we’re playing some music in my studio. We’re having Easter brunch—my wife’s family, my friends, everyone’s there. And everybody’s like, ‘What is this music?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Lewis Hamilton’s music.’”

Since splitting from Ye, Kim’s dated Pete Davidson and moved on. Kanye’s remarried, too—this time to Australian architect Bianca Censori.

Those two have been in the headlines a lot, usually for their wild fashion choices. Things got especially wild when Bianca showed up at the Grammy Awards in a see-through gown. She arrived in a black fur coat but ditched it to reveal a sheer dress that left little to the imagination. People at the event were definitely stunned.

FERRARI SF-26 COMPLETES 121 LAPS IN HISTORIC LEWIS HAMILTON-LECLERC BARCELONA DEBUT

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a "productive" 121-lap debut for the Ferrari SF-26 during 2026 testing in Barcelona.

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Lewis Hamilton delivers first verdict on Ferrari SF-26 after "challenging" rain

Ferrari kicked off its on-track work for the 2026 Formula One season with a steady first day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split driving duties in the team’s bold new car, and the whole thing felt like the start of a new chapter.

With the 2026 rules shaking up both the chassis and the power unit, Ferrari didn’t chase lap times. They zeroed in on checking systems, making sure their data lined up, and ironing out any reliability kinks. The weather threw a few curveballs—rain, some dry patches—but even so, they got through their plan and stacked up plenty of laps.

Leclerc seemed upbeat after his first taste of the new machine. He said it felt good to get back behind the wheel and start figuring out the car, even if the focus was just on systems and not raw speed. “We came here to understand how everything works,” he said. “With the weather mixed up, today was all about checks. We finished what we set out to do, and the car did what we expected. It’s a solid start and a decent base.”

Hamilton, now officially in Ferrari red, felt the same. For him, it was a busy day—lots of on-track time, plenty of new things to get used to—but he called it productive. “We got good mileage, learnt a lot, and didn’t hit any big issues. That’s what matters with so many changes coming in. This gives us a strong platform for the next few days.”

Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, stressed how important it was just to get through the day cleanly. “Given the conditions, it went well for us,” he said. Rain or not, they racked up the laps and—most importantly—avoided any real reliability problems. That’s the top priority when you’re shaking down a brand-new car and engine.

Performance talk? Still way too early for that. Right now, Ferrari’s just learning how this new car behaves, gathering data, and building up bit by bit as the days go on—keeping their focus squarely on themselves.

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