Ferrari Urged to Build Around Hamilton for 2026
NXTbets Pro | Published On: June 22, 2026
Hamilton earns Ferrari's trust
Lewis Hamilton has given Ferrari a reason to build around him, and Jacques Villeneuve says the team should take that route for 2026. Hamilton won the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix for his first victory with Ferrari, a result that came after two straight second-place finishes and ended his near two-year winless run. It also closed a long drought for Ferrari. The timing matters because Ferrari now faces a clear decision on where to put its effort as the next regulation cycle gets closer. Villeneuve argued that Hamilton has settled in, made the car and the team feel like his own and kept pushing. He said that gives Ferrari its best chance to chase the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ title. The message was direct. If Ferrari wants a realistic shot at the championship, Villeneuve believes Hamilton is the driver to build around.
Villeneuve backs Hamilton
Villeneuve did not leave much room for a split strategy. He said Ferrari cannot afford to spread its focus across both sides of the garage or get pulled into internal politics if it wants to maximize its title hopes. In his view, Hamilton offers the sharper path because of his experience and mentality. Villeneuve said those traits make Hamilton the more likely Ferrari driver to mount a serious title challenge. That view also points to Charles Leclerc, who has already had time to shape the team around his preferences, though Ferrari never fully committed to that approach. Villeneuve’s point was that Ferrari has already seen what happens when the team tries to balance both drivers without making one the clear center of the project. The title fight for 2026 will reward clarity. It will not reward hesitation. Villeneuve’s stance leaves Ferrari with a simple directive, back Hamilton and stop trying to divide the operation between two competing directions.
Ferrari setup points to Hamilton
Hamilton’s recent form gives that argument more weight. He said his improved results have come from changes in his race team, his race engineer and his weekend approach. Those adjustments helped fuel the Barcelona win and his run of two straight second places before it. Leclerc, by contrast, has had a rough stretch with back-to-back retirements in Monaco and Barcelona. He also trails Hamilton by 30 points in the Ferrari standings battle. That gap strengthens the sense that Ferrari’s current momentum sits with Hamilton. Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner also said Ferrari could improve by paying closer attention to Hamilton’s setup preferences, a view that aligns with Villeneuve’s broader point about focusing the car around the driver who is delivering. Juan Pablo Montoya added that comfort with the car can decide how much speed a driver can unlock, and said the team should adapt the machine around the driver. The combined message from all three is clear. Ferrari has more to gain by sharpening its commitment to Hamilton than by trying to split its future between two priorities.
