Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton opened up on the seismic change the sport is set to undergo in the 2026 season with the revised regulations coming into play at the top level of motor racing.
Hamilton revealed that the new regulations would put every team and driver through a massive challenge and those quick to adapt would benefit greatly.
“In 19 years, this is the biggest change in cars that I’ve noticed. It really puts everyone on the back foot,”
“Whoever develops the fastest, is the smartest in optimising the time and the energy deployment and development will be the ones at the top,”
“It gives everyone a chance to get to the top, which is good.”
The seven-time champion’s remarkable record in the top tier took a significant hit as he replaced Carlos
Sainz at Ferrari. Meanwhile, Sainz elevated Williams to a fifth-place finish in the championship, securing two podiums and helping the team accumulate 137 points by the end of the year.
Sainz has a history of improving the teams he races for. During his time with Renault, he saw the team rise from ninth place in 2016 to fourth in 2018. With McLaren, he helped the team move from sixth place in 2018 to third in 2020. His subsequent move to Ferrari saw him assist the legendary team in climbing from sixth to second before his departure last year.
McLaren’s Lando Norris secured his first F1 title with a third-place finish at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, narrowly beating four-time champion Max Verstappen in dramatic fashion.
Norris amassed 423 points over the season, surpassing Verstappen’s 421 points for Red Bull, thereby claiming the championship crown. Norris acknowledged the addictive taste of victory but added he seeks to enjoy the moment instead of getting ahead of himself.
Despite Verstappen’s determined effort to erode Norris’s 102-point lead from earlier in the season, the Brit ultimately triumphed after a strong performance throughout the year. In stark contrast, Norris’s fellow Briton, Hamilton, faced his first season without a podium finish during his debut campaign with Ferrari.
Norris will sport the No.1 next season, a prestige reserved for the incumbent champion, while Verstappen will have to vacate the number for the Brit.
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