“Make-or-break” F1 2026 warning for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari

Karun Chandhok believes F1 2026 will be “make-or-break” for Lewis Hamilton’s relationship with Ferrari.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton endured a terrible first season with Ferrari that saw him fail to finish on a grand prix podium for the first time in his F1 career.

Hamilton was comprehensively outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc and finished nearly 100 points behind the Monegasque as he took sixth place in the world championship.

Ferrari appeared to be on the upward trajectory when Hamilton joined the team, having completed a blockbuster switch from Mercedes last winter, but his dream move has quickly descended into a nightmare.

Asked what will happen if Ferrari don’t produce a competitive car for 2026 after a winless campaign, Chandhok told The F1 Show Podcast: “The dream would quickly turn into a nightmare, wouldn’t it?

“That picture of Lewis in front of Enzo Ferrari’s house, that was the statement of the season and we had so much optimism based on the last part of Ferrari’s last season. We had China, the sprint, and thought ‘this could be magic, this could happen’, but from that Sunday in China it just fell apart.

“Leclerc got seven podiums, none for Lewis this year. There was a phase after the summer break where the pace was coming back and he was matching Leclerc, then again it went away. From the sprint qualifying in Belgium, Leclerc outqualifed Lewis 14-2. That’s a big score to the end of the season.

“Hopefully he’ll have a good reset and come back. It’s a make or break season I think for that relationship.”

Hamilton said after the final race of the season that he wanted to shut off from the world over the upcoming winter break.

What does Hamilton need to improve?

The biggest criticism of Hamilton’s 2025 season is his qualifying form.

Hamilton’s struggles over one lap have become a talking point in recent seasons and continued in his first season in red.

The 40-year-old Briton was beaten 19-5 in the head-to-heads with Leclerc and ended the year with three consecutive Q1 exits.

“The only thing he needs to address is the qualifying performance, because the rest is just whether Ferrari listens to him on the changes he wants,” Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz said.

“Like Carlos Sainz said when he was at Ferrari, Ferrari have everything it takes to be a championship winning team. What he didn’t complete that sentence with, and what Sainz never competed that sentence with, is they are just not doing, or why are not doing, or I can see what they need to be a championship team but we are just not there yet.

“So let’s go back to they have everything they need to be a championship winning team, are they going to take Hamilton’s advice onboard, or is the little deficit he’s got, which is the qualifying performance and pace, especially when it comes to Q3, will that be rectified?

“If that carries on to 2026 then I think you are looking at him just seeing out his contract with Ferrari for one more year.”