He arrived because Ferrari sold him a vision of competitiveness under the new rules, and because he believes 2026 offers a realistic final window for an eighth title. But belief alone will not be enough.
Ferrari’s car must allow Hamilton to drive on instinct again, rather than adaptation. It needs to give him the confidence that he so dearly missed during 2025.
If the car is right, it will be Hamilton who will need to show he still has what it takes to fight at the front. The scrutiny on both team and driver is likely to be relentless, given where the season they are coming from.
Leclerc’s patience on the line
While Hamilton’s situation will dominate attention, Charles Leclerc remains Ferrari’s long-term axis.
Leclerc will want his loyalty to be repaid with a strong car
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Leclerc has given Ferrari loyalty through cycles of disappointment, often carrying the team’s performance on his shoulders while watching championship fights play out elsewhere.
His talent has never been in doubt, but his patience has been tested repeatedly. The promise of 2026 is central to why that loyalty has endured.
Ferrari owes Leclerc a car that allows him to fight for titles, not just pole positions or isolated wins.
Another transitional season risks shifting the dynamic from patience to frustration.
Power, integration and ambition
Ferrari’s engine programme will be under intense scrutiny as the new power unit regulations take effect.
As both manufacturer and customer supplier, Ferrari needs to balance outright performance with reliability and integration, not just for itself, but for teams like Haas and Cadillac.
For the works team, however, the priority is clear.
Energy deployment, packaging efficiency and cooling integration will define competitiveness more than peak output figures. Ferrari’s challenge is not simply to produce a strong engine, but to build a car around it that feels cohesive.
This has been Ferrari’s weakness in past regulation changes: fast components undermined by incomplete concepts. The early shift to 2026 was meant to prevent exactly that.
Ferrari can’t frame 2026 as a transitional year, even if results fluctuate. It cannot afford to. Too much has been invested, too much has been delayed, and too much talent is aligned around this era.
For Ferrari, 2026 is not about potential anymore. It is about whether the longest wait in its modern history is finally approaching the end, or simply being extended once more.