There was no shortage of predictions around Lewis Hamilton’s debut season with Ferrari, but few could have anticipated how things would actually turn out.
The switch from Mercedes to Maranello was expected to give Hamilton a fresh start after a tough finish with his previous team. There were also hopes that he could be the one to lead Ferrari back to the top of the sport.
Instead, the 2025 season turned out to be a tough one for Ferrari. They didn’t win a single race, and Hamilton went through an entire calendar year without reaching the podium for the first time in his career.
Hamilton admitted he struggled with how little say he had in team decisions during his first year at Ferrari. Many of his suggestions went ignored, and even when he sent detailed feedback directly to the factory, it was met with public criticism from chairman John Elkann.
This year though, there’s been a clear change. Hamilton seems more energised and involved, and it looks like Ferrari are finally listening. He’s had direct input into several areas of development on their new car, including key components like suspension and aerodynamics.
Lewis Hamilton tipped for another strong Ferrari season by Nigel Mansell
Like many hopeful fans, the 1992 F1 champion thinks Hamilton is still capable of winning his eighth world championship, provided that Ferrari can give him the car. Mansell does not think his age will be a problem.
He told The Observer: “I don’t want to put any pressure on him but I think Lewis is going to have a fantastic year. He’s a young 41. He’s strong as an ox and super fit.
“If Ferrari put the car underneath him that he deserves, he can do the business still and get that magical eighth world title. I don’t think it’s over yet.”
Mansell made similar comments before last season, calling it ‘monumental’ and suggesting Hamilton would surprise people. Instead, it turned into what was probably the most difficult campaign of his career.
This time around, Ferrari are reportedly concerned about their energy management based on data from Barcelona testing. Gary Anderson has said they look average in terms of development – not where they hoped to be heading into this new era.
It’s early days, but things aren’t looking great for Ferrari so far. If their form doesn’t improve quickly, Mansell might find himself repeating last year’s mistake.
Mansell Optimistic About 2026 Season Following Lando Norris’ Championship Win
Ferrari are hoping to be closer to the front in 2026, while Lando Norris enters the season looking to defend his title after narrowly edging out Max Verstappen by two points last year.
Mansell expects another thrilling campaign and believes Norris could be even quicker this time around.
“He’s so young, he’s got the world at his feet,” said Mansell. “He’s going to get better, he’s going to be more confident this year. He’s going to have another half a second in his pocket when he wants to push.
“He’s the world champion, when anybody wears that mantle, it puts a stride in your step. You’ve done it; you’ve achieved it. It’s the most momentous thing to achieve, the world champion of anything.”
“All power to his elbow, I think 2026 is going to be a fantastic championship. Mercedes are hot favourites, McLaren are there and Ferrari are there, which is incredibly exciting.”
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