‘People tend to listen to you less’ - Lewis Hamilton details battle to gain trust for Ferrari F1 car changes

Lewis Hamilton has detailed his battle to gain trust within Ferrari in order to get the changes he wanted for the team’s 2026 Formula 1 car. 

Hamilton endured a turbulent and disappointing debut season with Ferrari following his blockbuster move from Mercedes at the end of 2024, but the seven-time world champion has pulled off an incredible turnaround this year. 

Having gone podium-less for the first time in his career in 2025, Hamilton has already appeared on the rostrum four times already this season, including taking a spectacular first victory with Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. 

Hamilton’s fine form has seen him emerge as a potential title challenger, sitting third in the drivers’ championship and just 46 points behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The 41-year-old has also enjoyed a run of out-performing Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who convincingly won the intra-team battle last year. 

Hamilton revealed ahead of his home race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone that he had to fight to earn Ferrari’s trust during a troubled start to life in red. 

Asked to explain what has been key to his turnaround, Hamilton told media including Crash.net: “One being a car that I really have helped develop. There's items on the car, for example, front suspension that I'd asked for last year. 

“Had it made for the sim and tested it and we brought that this year. Finally got the brakes that I wanted, which was a big push. Engineer changes, in my personal team - readjusting some of my team and how they connect with the team. 

“Realigning myself with the high powers within the organisation so that we’re making sure that we're on the same track and we're allies rather than foes.So that's just now in a much, much better place. And that's enabling us now to just move forwards in synergy. 

“Each weekend was a really difficult weekend last year. So, naturally when you're having that, people tend to listen to you less. Like ‘why are we going to listen to you when you are getting these results?’ So, that's taken a long time to build that trust. And I think that trust is now there and things that I ask for get done. 

“It’s a two-way street naturally. We’re we're really pushing each other along, and the collaboration is finally there. And I think that's the most important thing.”

Hamilton is the most successful driver at the British Grand Prix and his next triumph would mark his 10th victory at Silverstone.