Brawn expects ‘vintage’ Hamilton to shine at Ferrari in 2026

Former Ferrari boss Ross Brawn believes Lewis Hamilton could return to his championship-winning form when he dons the famous red suit next season.

“I think we’ll see a vintage Lewis,” Brawn told Sky Sports F1.

The 71-year-old, who spent a decade at Ferrari, still holds a soft spot for the Italian team and hopes to see Hamilton succeed where he struggled this year.

“I think we’d all love for him to be successful. I’ve got a special place for Ferrari; I’ve been there for 10 years. I know how tough it is there,” Brawn said.

It’s been anything but smooth sailing for the seven-time world champion in his first year at Maranello.

Hamilton failed to reach the podium even once during his challenging debut season with the team, writing his name into the record books for all the wrong reasons.

His lone bright spot came during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, where he managed to win the Sprint race – small consolation for a driver accustomed to standing on the top step.

Brawn believes Ferrari just needs the right spark to turn things around.

“It’s always a fine line between a team gelling and not quite gelling, and it didn’t quite gel last year. If he gets some incentives and if he sees there’s an opportunity, I think we’ll see a vintage Lewis. So I’m hoping that happens.”

Hamilton acknowledges tough road ahead

The British driver hasn’t shied away from the challenges facing him and the team.

After testing Ferrari’s 2026 challenger during a brief shakedown at Fiorano, Hamilton admitted they face a “huge challenge” to bounce back from this year’s disappointments.

Despite the struggles, Hamilton remains hopeful. He’s pointing to the upcoming regulation changes as a fresh opportunity for Ferrari to reset and make significant improvements to their car development.

Could the massive 2026 rule changes be exactly what Hamilton and Ferrari need to return to the front of the grid?

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