'Slower than GP2' - Why Lewis Hamilton is now criticising F1 2026 cars

Lewis Hamilton has performed a U-Turn on F1’s new generation of cars by suddenly criticising them.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton was quick to sing the praises of the 2026 F1 cars after the behind closed doors Barcelona shakedown, describing them as “more fun” to drive compared to the previous ground-effect iteration.

But speaking after completing the morning session on the opening day of the first official pre-season test in Bahrain on Wednesday in his new Ferrari, Hamilton had changed his tune.

"The car is shorter, it's lighter, and it's actually easier to catch," Hamilton is quoted by several publications as saying.

"It's quite fun, it's like rallying a lot. Yeah, I think we're slower than GP2 [F2], right now, right? I mean, it does feel like that.”

Hamilton noted a major contrast in his experience of the 2026 cars in Bahrain compared to Barcelona.

"Barcelona didn't feel too bad," he explained. "Here [in Bahrain], it's been very gusty, and it's a lot hotter, so much harder to find the right balance. So I think everyone's struggling.

“At Barcelona for example, you're doing 600 metres lift and coast on a qualifying lap. That's not what racing is about."

Hamilton also outlined concerns that fans will find F1’s new rules regarding active aerodynamics and energy management confusing.

“None of the fans are going to understand it,” the 41-year-old Briton added.

“It's so complex. It's ridiculously complex. I was sat in a meeting the other day and they were taking us through it and it’s like you need a degree to fully understand it all.

“In terms of managing it, it's pretty straightforward I would say. Maybe in race trim it's going to be different, we will see.

“But then there also is a system that can automatically… once you finish a lap it learns the way that you're driving. But say for example, you lock up and go wide, you cover more distance, it affects that algorithm.

“So we're just trying to get on top of it and understand it. But everyone's in the same boat.”

Will F1 2026 be better for Hamilton?

Hamilton was among several drivers who were pleased to see the back of F1’s ground-effect era, having struggled to get to grips with his Mercedes and Ferrari challengers between 2022-2025.

There were suggestions F1’s new rules would be more suited to Hamilton’s driving style and preferences, but he is refusing to jump to conclusions. 

"I think at the moment, it doesn't feel anything like the genre before, and it's really just far too early days," Hamilton said.

“With the baseline car that we have, we're still trying to test amongst the different things. We're still trying to find the window that it likes to work in.

"Haven't optimised the tyres, haven't optimised the aero package yet, the ride height, the mechanical balance, all these different things.

"So, I'm not going to judge it just now. It didn't feel great out there today with the wind. It is very, very gusty here — the gustiest I can remember it being here.

"We'll just have to take it with a pinch of salt. Plus, it's the first day here [and] in the morning, it's never fun.

"But in general, as I said in the last test, it's a more fun car to drive."