Martin Brundle casts positive verdict for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's 2026 F1 season

Lewis Hamilton can win races with Ferrari this season, former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle believes.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton endured a disappointing debut season with Ferrari in 2025 after making a blockbuster move from Mercedes at the end of 2024.

Hamilton struggled to adjust to life at Ferrari and suffered his worst season of his F1 career, finishing sixth in the drivers’ standings as he failed to record a grand prix podium for the first time. Ferrari, meanwhile, slipped from second to fourth place in the constructors’ championship.

The 41-year-old Briton has enjoyed a stronger start to 2026 and the new era of regulations, having claimed a long-awaited first Ferrari podium at the Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton has also been much closer to team-mate Charles Leclerc, who comfortably held the upper hand at the Scuderia last year.

Brundle reckons Ferrari’s significant upgrade package that is set to be introduced at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix will bring the team into contention for victories, having lagged a chunk behind Mercedes so far.

"Lewis clearly enjoys these cars much more," Brundle told Sky Sports F1. "Ferrari is more competitive, and I think will make a big step for Miami.

“Lewis obviously prefers this type of car to the seasons we had with the ground effect cars that were smashing against the ground and quite brutal things. It didn't seem to suit his style.

“But his mood and just the way he's going about it, he just seems a lot happier because Ferrari is more competitive.

"He's got to beat Charles Leclerc if he's going to win the world championship in the other Ferrari, and others.

“Let's see if he can sustain that. If there's a sniff of a victory, I think Lewis is still very much capable of taking that.”

Brundle thinks Miami will effectively see the start of a new championship, with teams having an enforced five-week break in which to improve their cars and their understanding of the new regulations.

"I think it's totally wide open," he added. "We have got a sprint weekend in Miami, so there are sprint points to be won, Grand Prix points to be won.

"This is going to ebb and flow. I see teams leapfrogging others with some upgrades because there is so much upside potential with these cars.

“Anybody I would say in the top four teams, any of those eight drivers, could win this year's world championship."