From low point to revival
Lewis Hamilton says he has moved a long way from last year’s struggles at the Hungarian Grand Prix as he prepares to return to the Hungaroring this weekend. The seven-time world champion described the 2025 Hungarian weekend — when he qualified 12th — as a nadir of his debut season at Ferrari, but told reporters this week he is now in a markedly different place.
Hamilton’s assessment underlines a season of recovery. After an opening year in red that saw inconsistent results and no podium finishes, the driver said changes within Ferrari and adaptations to the car have been key to restoring competitiveness. The improvements were reflected in a milestone win at Barcelona in June, his first for the Scuderia.
“I’m definitely proud of everyone in the team and also I am definitely proud of myself for getting myself out of the place that I was in,” Hamilton said ahead of the Hungarian weekend. He signalled plans to set out more detail in a future documentary about the circumstances that led to last year’s poor weekend but stressed the transformation since then.
“I arrive worlds away from where I was last year.”
How results have shifted
Hamilton’s resurgence has been measurable across the opening stretch of the 2026 season. He picked up his first Ferrari victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June and, over the first ten races of the campaign, he has outscored his teammate Charles Leclerc by 33 points, according to team figures cited this week.
Recent race results point to improved consistency: Hamilton finished third at Silverstone and fourth at Spa-Francorchamps in the two rounds immediately before Hungary, while Leclerc took first and second at those events respectively. Hamilton acknowledged small mistakes across those weekends cost him chances at further victories but said Leclerc’s performances were encouraging for the team’s package as a whole.
| Key results | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Barcelona-Catalunya GP | First win for Hamilton at Ferrari |
| First 10 races (season) | Hamilton +33 points vs Leclerc |
| British GP (Silverstone) | Hamilton 3rd, Leclerc 1st |
| Belgian GP (Spa) | Hamilton 4th, Leclerc 2nd |
What changed at Ferrari
Hamilton has repeatedly referred to internal adjustments at Ferrari tailored to his preferences, though he has not detailed specific technical modifications. He credited a combination of team development and what he called the right "pieces to the puzzle" coming together for the improved performance.
- Regulation changes over the winter that altered the competitive landscape.
- Car development and setup adjustments to suit Hamilton’s driving preferences.
- Team processes and behind-the-scenes changes to support race performance.
He said the improvements have put Ferrari in a position to fight consistently at the front and that the team now arrives at the Hungaroring with confidence in the package. Hamilton’s comments reflect not only technical recovery but also a personal rebound from a period he described as very difficult.
Local angle and what to watch
For Hamilton fans in the city that shares his surname, the narrative is familiar: adaptation, determination and incremental progress producing tangible results. As the Formula 1 season moves into the summer stretch, attention will be on whether Hamilton can translate recent momentum into more podiums and victories — and whether Ferrari can sustain the converging factors that have lifted the team’s form.
With the Hungarian Grand Prix typically demanding on car balance and tyre management, observers will be watching how Ferrari’s revisions handle the unique challenge of the Hungaroring and whether Hamilton’s confidence this week proves well founded once the lights go out.
