Lewis Hamilton signals doubt over Ferrari’s 2026 hopes after Las Vegas setback

Lewis Hamilton has suggested he is not optimistic about what awaits him in the 2026 Formula 1 season, as his difficult run with Ferrari worsened during the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. According to comments he made to BBC Radio 5 Live, the seven-time world champion admitted he is “eager for [the season] to end” following another disappointing performance.

Hamilton qualified at the back on pure pace for the first time in his 378-race career, though an eventful start allowed him to make early progress on hard tyres. His momentum stalled when he became trapped behind Esteban Ocon, and he ultimately finished 10th on track before moving up to eighth after disqualifications for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

With only the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races remaining, Hamilton is at risk of completing a full season without a podium for the first time in his career. He recently described his transition to Ferrari as a “nightmare,” pointing to ongoing difficulties adapting to the handling style required by modern ground-effect cars—machines that reward a smooth, sweeping ‘U-shaped’ cornering approach rather than his traditionally aggressive, ‘V-shaped’ turn-in technique.

F1’s 2026 regulations will introduce sweeping changes, with the new generation of cars expected to differ significantly from current designs. Despite that, Hamilton said after his Las Vegas result—finishing over 59 seconds behind race winner Max Verstappen—that even the upcoming overhaul had not lifted his spirits.

“There is nothing positive to take from today,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live, making clear he is not looking forward to the next phase of competition. When asked if he was referring to the next race, Hamilton clarified that he meant “next season.”

Responding to RacingNews365’s question about whether he was considering ending his season early and not completing the second year of his Ferrari contract, Hamilton shook his head and dismissed the suggestion.