Former Ferrari driver makes honest admission over Hamilton's 2026 revival

Former F1 driver and Ferrari racer Gerhard Berger has expressed his delight at seeing Lewis Hamilton and the Maranello outfit return to winning ways this season after a first year together that fell short of expectations.

After a disappointing first season with Ferrari that yielded no wins, podiums or pole positions, Hamilton has enjoyed a dramatic turnaround under Formula 1‘s new regulations. Eleven races into the campaign, the seven-time world champion sits second in the Drivers’ Championship on 169 points, having claimed one victory and five podium finishes. His resurgence has also seen him establish the upper hand over his Ferrari teammate.

Speaking to F1.com, Berger admitted he has been pleased to see Ferrari return to winning ways this season, adding that he is equally happy for Hamilton after the difficulties the Briton faced during his first year with the Scuderia. The former Ferrari driver believes Hamilton had to overcome both technical challenges and the presence of a highly competitive teammate, but feels the seven-time world champion is now beginning to turn things around.

“In general, we are all so happy if we see a winning Ferrari. Ferrari is Ferrari. I was very happy also for Lewis, because for Lewis, it’s been very difficult. He came to Ferrari and wanted to repeat his success from the past.

“Suddenly, he found himself in a difficult situation from a technical side, but also from a team mate side – a very fast team mate. For Lewis, last year was very hard, but now it looks like he’s coming out of the corner a bit.”

Berger is not alone in praising Hamilton’s resurgence. Damon Hill also believes the Ferrari driver returning to the front was never in doubt, arguing that someone with Hamilton’s mentality was always going to bounce back.

The 1996 world champion described the Briton as an ultra-competitive racer who refuses to settle for anything less than success, adding that Hamilton has worked relentlessly behind the scenes to shape Ferrari around his own driving style and make the most of the influence his achievements have earned him within the team.

“Cream always rises to the top, doesn’t it? I mean, he’s someone who is… you cut him in half and it just says ‘competitor’ right the way through. He’s going to win at anything he does. I don’t think it sits easily with him to back off. He’s been working hard over the winter, clearly, and he’s worked on how he wants the Ferrari to be for him.

“They signed him, they paid a lot of money to have him, so he’s saying, ‘Okay, I’m not going to just sit here and do what you do. I’m going to tell you what I do, and you’re going to make it suit me’. The power he has, the reputation he has, he’s putting to work, to protect himself. He’s right to do that.”