“But this is the Year of the Fire Horse according to the Chinese calendar. It represents freedom, the desire to free your mind from pressure and bring fundamental values back to the forefront.”
When asked about working with Charles Leclerc, Hamilton responded with clarity about his objectives:
“There’s only one Ferrari, and he’s a great driver. I’ve been working on the 2026 car for 14 months, in the simulator and with the engineers.
“Compared to the previous car, which was already designed, and which I could change very little, this car has a bit of my DNA.”
Ferrari look to set the tone
Whilst the temptation after this weekend’s Australian GP will be to draw conclusions, Ferrari know better.
It was only four years ago, at the beginning of the 2022 regulations, that Ferrari enjoyed a dream start and secured a 1-2 finish in Bahrain. Another win for Leclerc a few weeks later in Australia further cemented the belief that the title was Ferrari’s to lose.
Of course, the season unfolded very differently. A series of reliability failures in Spain and Baku erased their advantage, before Red Bull’s aggressive development tipped the scales on the performance front.
These lessons have not been forgotten by Ferrari, which is why Fred Vasseur often cites this expression:
“It won’t be all about the classification of Australia. It will be a lot about the capacity for quick development.
“The season won’t be over in Australia for sure – it doesn’t matter if we are P1 or P10”
Still, this big-picture perspective does not mean the Maranello squad are not aiming for victory. To the contrary, there is a genuine belief the SF-26 can be at the very front in Australia.
Although familiar names like Mercedes and Red Bull also look strong, Ferrari are certainly in the conversation.
With this in mind, Hamilton and Leclerc are preparing themselves for a demanding season. Both on and off-track, Fred Vasseur’s team will be tested and asked a familiar question – can they end Ferrari’s title drought?
