By the admission of Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, he and Lewis Hamilton underestimated the challenge of his adaptation. However, F1 2026 is when the “real test” arrives for Hamilton versus team-mate Charles Leclerc, so says Jacques Villeneuve, with the huge regulatory reset on its way.

Lewis Hamilton’s first season in Ferrari red has been anything but straightforward. Still without podiums, and victories, the seven-time world champion’s transition from Mercedes has been marked by frustration on track and headlines off it.

However, after 14 Grands Prix with his new squad, he is still waiting for his first podium finish and now trails team-mate Charles Leclerc by 42 points. After qualifying in Hungary, Hamilton described his performance as “useless” and suggested that Ferrari would need to “change driver” to improve results.