Lewis Hamilton has voiced his desire to have \u201csome of my DNA\u201d in Ferrari\u2019s 2026 Formula 1 car, as he continues to wrestle with the limitations of the 2025 SF-25 challenger. In his debut season with the Scuderia, the seven-time world champion has yet to step onto the podium, trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc, who has notched up four podiums and sits higher in the Drivers\u2019 Championship.<\/p>
Ferrari\u2019s 2025 campaign has fallen short of the high hopes that followed a promising pre-season. Although recent upgrades have added marginal improvements, Hamilton remains unconvinced by the car's handling characteristics. He noted that while Leclerc has mastered the car setup over his years with the team, Hamilton has struggled to extract the same performance, despite experimenting with various configurations.<\/p>
Speaking ahead of his home race at Silverstone, Hamilton acknowledged the challenge: \u201cIt\u2019s a tough car to drive. I\u2019ve gradually aligned with Charles\u2019 setup approach, and last week was the closest we\u2019ve been in pace. But it\u2019s not a balance I want going forward.\u201d<\/p>
To address this, Hamilton is working closely with Ferrari chassis technical director Lo\u00efc Serra on shaping the DNA of the 2026 car. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at removing the characteristics that don\u2019t suit me and implementing things that will allow me to better connect with the car,\u201d he said.<\/p>
Despite the car\u2019s ongoing limitations, Hamilton managed a fourth-place finish at Silverstone\u2014his joint best result of the season\u2014while Leclerc finished a distant 14th after struggling in the wet conditions. Ferrari showed improved pace in dry weather throughout the weekend, clocking strong practice sessions and a close qualifying, with both drivers just tenths off pole position.<\/p>
Hamilton highlighted the importance of learning from such weekends: \u201cThe car is very unpredictable in mixed conditions. But weekends like Silverstone help me articulate to the engineers what needs to change. I now have a clearer idea of what must be removed from next year\u2019s model.\u201d<\/p>
As the team sets its sights on 2026, Hamilton\u2019s involvement in development signals Ferrari\u2019s ambition to return to championship-contending form.<\/p>
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