THE 2026 BLUEPRINT: HOW LEWIS HAMILTON IS SECRETLY SHAPING FERRARI’S NEXT-GEN POWER UNIT
Lewis Hamilton is betting on 2026: Discover why Jenson Button believes new F1 rules will save Hamilton’s struggling Ferrari career.
Jenson Button thinks the new Formula 1 rules are going to be a turning point for Lewis Hamilton’s future in the sport. Hamilton’s first year with Ferrari? Pretty rough. He didn’t even get on the podium once, a first for him, and finished sixth in the drivers’ standings, while Ferrari landed fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. Now, Hamilton’s 41 and not shy about wanting things to get better this season. Button, though, is still hopeful. He figures Hamilton’s early work with Ferrari’s 2026 car could really pay off.
Button knows what he’s talking about; he spent three years as Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren. Watching Hamilton struggle last season was hard for him. “It was tough, I have to say, watching Lewis in 2025,” Button told Sky Sports News before the new season kicks off in Australia on March 8. “I know how good he is. You could see how much it hurt him. You almost forget everything he’s accomplished because you just see the pain in his face. But honestly, with these new regulations, I think we’ll see Lewis back at his best.”
Button thinks Hamilton’s going to have a real say in how Ferrari builds the new car, and that’ll make a big difference. “He’ll help shape the car in a way that works for him,” Button said. “I hope we see that. Everyone wants to see Ferrari and Lewis fighting at the front again.”
The rule changes this time around are pretty major. The biggest stuff? Overhauls to the power unit and new hybrid engines. Aerodynamics are getting a shake-up, too, and F1’s dropping the drag reduction system completely. Teams also have to deal with new financial rules after the cap on operational costs went up. Ferrari’s hoping all this helps them get back in the title fight. Button, who just retired last year, says with all these changes, “anything is possible” as the sport heads into a new era.
Last season, Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc outshone him, grabbing seven podiums even though they drove the same car. Leclerc’s been at Ferrari longer, so that probably helped, but Hamilton’s betting that another year at Maranello will give him what he needs by 2026.
Still, Button doesn’t sugarcoat it. If things don’t turn around for Hamilton this year, it might never work out, which could mean the end of the road for him in F1. “Switching teams and going up against someone who’s been there for years is always tough,” Button said. “But now Lewis has had time to settle in, build relationships, and shape the car’s direction. This year’s huge for him. If it doesn’t click, I don’t know if it ever will. This is his chance to turn things around.”
HEALTH CRISIS: ALONSO FACES EARLY RETIREMENT AS NERVE DAMAGE RISK SHAKES ASTON MARTIN PROJECT
Fernando Alonso faces a shock mid-season retirement as Adrian Newey warns of permanent nerve damage from Honda vibrations.
There’s talk that Fernando Alonso could get pushed to retire from Formula 1 before the season’s even over, all thanks to some pretty serious pain in his neck and left wrist. That’s according to a journalist who’s been following the situation closely.
Alonso turns 45 this June, and he’s now in his fifth year with Aston Martin. But things aren’t going smoothly. Right now, the team can’t even finish a full race because their Honda power unit shakes so much that it’s messing up Alonso’s and Lance Stroll’s wrists.
Adrian Newey, who runs the team and handles their technical direction, didn’t sugarcoat it back in Australia. He said those vibrations are bad enough to risk permanent nerve damage if the drivers stay out too long. Alonso’s limited to 25 laps in a row, and Stroll’s even worse off; he can only handle 15.
Race day in Melbourne turned out to be a bit better, at least for Stroll. He managed 43 out of 58 laps before heading back to the garage. But he only got to race after missing qualifying because of an engine problem.
Alonso had a wild start, jumping up seven spots to 10th place on the first lap using soft tyres, but he dropped back later. He came into the garage twice during the race. The team thought he’d have to retire early, but they got him back out there, only for another problem to stop him for good. Twenty-one laps, and that was it for Alonso in Melbourne.
Even so, Alonso’s still talking positively about the rest of the 2026 season, though he admits fixing the car really depends on Honda.
But on Radio Marca’s ‘La Tribu', Spanish journalist Emilio Perez de Rozas said Alonso is struggling with “significant discomfort” in the car. He even suggested doctors might tell him to retire during the season. Perez de Rozas didn’t mince words: “The project is currently an absolute fiasco. We’ll see if they recommend he stop and if he might retire.”
SPORTbible reached out to Alonso’s management, A14 Management, for a statement.
After the Australian Grand Prix, Alonso said he expects Aston Martin’s problems to be just as bad at the next race in China, and he explained that the team needs more time to figure things out. “It’s not the best feeling driving with this level of vibrations,” he said. Honda thinks they’ve reduced battery vibrations since Bahrain by making some changes, but the chassis hasn’t improved; they still need to isolate the battery differently. Alonso said it’ll take a bit longer, but they’re doing all they can, putting in as many laps as possible to help the team.
CHECO RETURNS: SERGIO PEREZ OFFICIALLY DEBUTS FOR CADILLAC AT THE 2026 AUSTRALIAN GP
A new era for Checo: Get the report on Perez’s Red Bull exit, his year away, and his partnership with Bottas at Cadillac Racing.
Sergio Perez looks like a new man. He’s back in Formula 1 after a year away, and honestly, he seems more alive than he ever was at Red Bull. Now he’s rolling with Cadillac, who are making its debut in the sport, and you can see the energy in him; he’s excited, refreshed, and just really happy to be back.
People have been talking about his age and the time he spent away from racing, but Perez isn’t worried. He believes in what Cadillac can do, and he’s clear about what he can bring to the table. Sure, his pre-season testing didn’t exactly blow anyone away, but that’s not stopping him. After a rough stint at Red Bull, he’s ready to chase success all over again.
The pressure of Red Bull is gone, and you can tell. Anthony Davidson noticed it too. On Ted Kravitz’s Melbourne Podbook, Davidson mentioned seeing Perez smile in a way he hadn’t since before Red Bull. That says a lot. The Red Bull years really took it out of him.
Davidson said, “I haven’t seen that smile on Checo’s face in a long time. I think since before he joined Red Bull. So it’s great to see both drivers happy.” And it’s not just Perez; Rachel Brookes pointed out that his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, was also in great spirits during the media day. Bottas even joked about his championship picks, saying Fernando, Lance, and George, because, according to him, they were all sandbagging.
Brookes added that Bottas is in such a good mood now, and taking that year away really gave him a new appreciation for the sport. It’s brought out a whole new energy in him.
So here they are: Perez and Bottas, lining up for Cadillac’s first season in F1. No one’s expecting them to win a bunch of races or stand on the podium every weekend, but their job is huge. Being the first drivers for a brand-new team is a massive challenge, and they’ve got to prove that both they and Cadillac have what it takes.
Their main goal? Get points as often as possible. Perez probably feels the pressure a bit more than Bottas, but both know what’s expected of them. Cadillac wants to make a splash in its debut season, and everything depends on how Perez and Bottas perform. They’re front and centre for whatever success comes Cadillac’s way.
