The incredible Lewis Hamilton F1 stat that proves his Ferrari revival is real

We are not yet at the halfway mark of the 2026 Formula 1 season and Lewis Hamilton has already eclipsed his 2025 points total. 

Hamilton endured a nightmare debut season with Ferrari in 2025, having completed a blockbuster transfer from Mercedes. Amid huge hype and expectation, Hamilton failed to register a single grand prix podium finish in a season for the first time in his F1 career, and ended the campaign with three consecutive Q1 exits. 

The seven-time world champion looked dejected and lost at the end of the year, but following a crucial winter reset, Hamilton has rebounded in remarkable fashion during his sophomore season in red. 

A stat widely shared following last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix underlined Hamilton’s turnaround. 

A fourth-place finish at Spa-Francorchamps lifted Hamilton up to second place in the drivers’ world championship on 159 points, meaning he has scored more points in 10 races in 2026 than he did through the entire 24-round 2025 season, which he ended with just 156. 

Hamilton’s 2025 season was by far his worst from a performance and statistical standpoint of his illustrious 20-year F1 career. 

After the lows of last year, Hamilton has already racked up five podium finishes in 2026, including a spectacular first victory with Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, where he inflicted Mercedes’ first defeat of the season. 

Hamilton’s result in Belgium has moved him back ahead of George Russell with a deficit of 45 points to championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton remains the only F1 driver to have completed every single racing lap in 2026, with his lowest finish being sixth place in both Japan and Miami. 

Hamilton’s qualifying performances have also notably improved. He is much closer to team-mate Charles Leclerc, trailing the Monegasque 6-4 in the qualifying head-to-heads, while he is 6-4 up on race day. Hamilton has not qualified lower than seventh since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, with his season’s best grid spot of second place coming at Barcelona. 

The 41-year-old Briton has credited ditching Ferrari’s simulator as being a key breakthrough behind his resurgence in form this season. Hamilton says steering clear of Ferrari’s simulator has helped his results “massively”. 

“I tried all last year with it, but as I said, when I was at Mercedes for the first few years I didn't use it. As it continued to develop, there was a point where we didn't use it,” Hamilton said ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. 

“I've been driving simulators since 1997 and they can be really powerful and really useful tools, but they can also mislead you. I found all last year particularly that was the case, and then in previous years when I was at Mercedes it was very similar, so that's why I didn't use it. Since I stopped, my performance has gone much, much better.”

Hamilton now heads to one of his favourite circuits this weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix at Budapest, where he holds the record for most wins (eight) and most pole positions (nine). 

“Firstly I need to come correct and make sure I deliver the way I know I can deliver in Budapest,” he said. “We have to come and fight for that win.”