Has the prodigal son of Stevenage returned?
Seventh in qualifying, almost a second off pole and a tenth and a half behind Leclerc (fourth). Author of a slingshot start, like Leclerc, but still fourth under the checkered flag, finishing in his teammate’s slipstream after making up about seven seconds in the final phase of the race.
This is, in extreme summary, the result of Lewis Hamilton at the Australian Grand Prix. A performance decidedly more convincing and energetic than those Lewis had unfortunately accustomed us to during his difficult 2025 season. It is evident, today more than ever, that the previous generation of ground-effect cars represented a difficult beast for Lewis to tame, but is his good performance in Melbourne enough to kill the fatted calf and celebrate the return of the prodigal Hamilton?
Read more Russell: “Norris thinks these are the worst F1 cars ever? If he were winning, he wouldn’t say that”
The answer depends on the point of view and expectations for the seven-time world champion who, it is worth remembering, boasts 105 GP wins, 202 podiums, and 104 pole positions. Hamilton was driving a Ferrari that was clearly the second force in the race and had a good margin over its rivals in terms of race pace and start. He finished fourth, which, looking closely, was the minimum that could be achieved with the SF-26 on Sunday in Melbourne. Lewis never appeared able to attack Leclerc, even though he got very close at the end and, as #44 stated, with two more laps of the race he would have passed him. That may be, but it didn’t happen. The long-awaited first podium with Ferrari—let’s not talk about a victory, for that we’ll have to wait, Chinese Sprint aside—has still not arrived. Third place was once again taken by his teammate who, to be clear, is still one of the three or four strongest and fastest drivers on the starting grid and a more than potential world champion, but whom Lewis certainly wants to beat, if only for the track record he has.
Political integration with the team does not seem to have improved
In terms of integration with the team, it does not seem, from his statements, that he has made major steps forward, still remaining in the role of a sort of “external consultant” to the team. He started on Saturday commenting on the gap from Mercedes, saying “If it were a matter of compression ratio, then I would be disappointed that the FIA allowed that to happen. It wasn’t in the rules and I will pressure my team to do the same, so we can become more powerful”. Beyond the naivety of the request, his words seem to imply that Ferrari does not have much desire to act on this matter and needs to be spurred on. Highly implausible, to say the least. Furthermore, both during the race and at the end of it, he reiterated his thought that changing tires under the first VSC could have led to a better outcome. “Certainly our tires at the end of the GP were still good and we could have stopped earlier. It would have been a free pit stop. I think with the first VSC we should have pitted”. These were his words. A position, however, not shared by Ferrari.
So can we celebrate Hamilton’s return to the top of the standings and a driver who is finally integrated into the team? Compared to last year, the situation as mentioned appears improved, but for those who have in mind the Lewis Hamilton of the “hammertime” days, of the integration with Mercedes and the repeated records it is legitimate to expect even higher results and behaviors before celebrating the return of the rediscovered seven-time champion.
Read more Mercedes CLA, now also 48-volt hybrid
