Lewis Hamilton refutes claim 2026 F1 car favors his style

Lewis Hamilton has dismissed the notion that the new 2026 Formula 1 cars give him a particular advantage. After a difficult 2025 season with Ferrari, in which he failed to reach the podium, Hamilton entered 2026 with 169 points, five podiums in six races and his first Grand Prix win for Ferrari at the Barcelona race. He said the improvement stems from collective adaptation with his engineers and a better match between his driving approach and the car, not from regulations that favour his style. Hamilton contrasted the 2025 ground‑effect car, which rewarded a smoother “U‑ing” technique, with his preferred aggressive “V‑ing” style of late braking and sharp turn‑in, which drove his success from 2017‑2021. He emphasized that all drivers have had to adjust to the new regulations and that the 2026 cars are generally more forgiving and lighter, not uniquely suited to him.