Lewis Hamilton said he is braced for the biggest regulation change of his career ahead of a make-or-break season with Ferrari.
The 41-year-old will enter his second campaign driving for the Italian giants following an underwhelming year where he failed to land a single podium for the first time in his career.
However, Hamilton will hope that a complete overhaul of the sport’s technical rulebook can provide him with a chance to revive his fortunes and fight for a record eighth world championship.
Built for the 2026 season 👊 The SF-26 takes the stage. pic.twitter.com/zDQs6XAQsP
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 23, 2026
Ferrari unveiled the first images of their new car on Friday – before Hamilton completed a number of laps at the team’s private Fiorano test track – prior to next week’s behind-closed-doors test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.
The chassis, engine, fuel and tyres are all new for the 11 teams this year, and Hamilton said: “The 2026 season represents a huge challenge for everyone, probably the biggest regulation change I have experienced in my career.
“When a new era begins everything revolves around development, growth as a team, and moving forward in the same direction.
“As a driver, being involved from the very start in the development of such a different car has been a particularly fascinating challenge, working closely with the engineers to help define a clear direction.
Sound ON! 🔊 The SF-26 comes to life! pic.twitter.com/aC1M0K58V3
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 23, 2026
“It will be an extremely important year from a technical perspective, with the driver playing a central role in energy management, understanding the new systems and contributing to the car’s development. It is a challenge we face together as a team.”
In his debut season in red, Hamilton was out-qualified by Charles Leclerc 19 times in 24 appearances. Hamilton ended the year 86 points behind his team-mate in the championship.
He will have a new race engineer for the forthcoming season – which begins in Australia on March 8 – after he parted company with Riccardo Adami.
