Rob Smedley, who once served as a race engineer at Ferrari, has expressed confidence that Lewis Hamilton will experience a significant resurgence in the 2026 Formula 1 season, attributing this to the fresh technical regulations. Hamilton’s struggles last season, including only two race wins and an unusual absence from the podium during his debut year with Ferrari, contrast with the optimism surrounding the forthcoming campaign.
The seven-time world champion reportedly welcomes the changes brought by the new SF-26 car, finding renewed motivation in the ability to apply his own feedback and adapt to the evolving demands. Both Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc displayed noticeably elevated spirits throughout the two weeks of Bahrain pre-season testing—a marked shift from the downbeat atmosphere of 2025.
Insights from Smedley on Hamilton’s Adaptation to the 2026 Car
In an exclusive discussion with Motorsport Week, Smedley highlighted Hamilton’s past championship victory over Felipe Massa, recalling his role as Massa’s race engineer during the 2008 season. With this perspective, Smedley foresees the new cars possibly aligning better with Hamilton’s driving style compared to previous ground-effect models.
I agree, I think like Charles and Lewis have got a little bit of a spring back in this step,
Smedley remarked.
I do think with the way that these cars have hit the ground running, they probably do suit Lewis a little bit. I’m not sure that he was ever comfortable with the ground-effect cars, but certainly the way that these cars have been developed from an aerodynamic point of view up to this point in time.
They probably do suit him a little bit more, [but] let’s wait and see when we get to Australia and the first few races.
Expectations for Hamilton and Ferrari as the Season Begins
As the 2026 season opener in Melbourne approaches, Hamilton is set to start seventh on the grid, with his former squad Mercedes leading the field after securing the front row. Nevertheless, Ferrari’s race pace showcased in Bahrain suggests that both Hamilton and Leclerc may close the gap on their rivals.
Smedley remains hopeful that the ongoing development throughout the season will favor Ferrari, which has yet to claim a championship since 2007. He underlined the importance of operational efficiency both on the track and behind the scenes to maximize performance under the new rules.
We’ve got to get those under our belt before we can really have a true picture, but hopefully, it would be great to see Ferrari up there at the front and [be] operated well as well,
Smedley said. He continued,
It’s not just about a fast car right? [It’s] about how well they operate at the track and to ensure that they’re getting the most out of it and doing the best job at the weekend as well as back in the factory, so it’ll be interesting to see you know where it shakes out in Australia.
But I would really like to see you know them then back to the front.
They’ve always got a special place in my heart.
