[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https://cdn.crash.net/2026-04/xpb_1403071_hires.jpg?width=1600&aspect_ratio=16:9″]
Former Ferrari F1 winner wary of Lewis Hamilton’s early 2026 results
Lewis Hamilton has made a strong start to the 2026 F1 season, but one former Ferrari winner is wary of it just now
Four-time Formula 1 race winner Eddie Irvine says he “wouldn’t take it for granted” that Lewis Hamilton’s China podium signifies a genuine resurgence for the Ferrari driver.
The seven-time world champion scored a maiden Ferrari podium at the Chinese Grand Prix last month, doing so 12 months on from his first sprint win for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton endured a torrid first season with Ferrari in 2025, but has taken to the new car regulations well and has shown to be far more competitive at the start of the current campaign.
He was fourth in Australia, narrowly missing out on the podium to team-mate Charles Leclerc, while he had the better of the Monegasque in a tense scrap in China on his way to third.
Hamilton sits fourth in the drivers’ standings, eight points behind Leclerc, who was third in Japan as the former struggled to sixth.
It’s this result which Irvine, who raced for Ferrari between 1996 and 1999, highlights as a reason to be wary of Hamilton’s apparent form rebound.
“It’s always very complicated for the red team,” he said in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello sport.
“The problem is the distance from the F1 world, which is the United Kingdom. Compared to last year, however, I think they can achieve at least one win.
“I wouldn’t take it [Hamilton’s podium] for granted. In China, he got on the podium for the first time with Ferrari, but that’s his circuit.
“In Japan, however, he was outclassed by Charles Leclerc all weekend.”
Hamilton said after the Japanese Grand Prix that he was down on power compared to the drivers around him, which left him scratching his head.
“It was ok, it was a really average weekend for me,” he said at the time.
“I just struggled with power in the race for some reason; I was just down. I was just defending the whole time.
“The guys around me just seemed to have more power today, so I need to understand why that is the case, whether my engine is down or what.
“I just need to understand it.”
Fourth, third and sixth marks Hamilton’s best start to a season since 2023, when he was fifth, fifth and second for Mercedes in the opening three rounds.
It took the Briton four rounds to break into the top five in 2025 in the Ferrari.
In this article
More News
Costly George Russell “bug” exposes true complexity of new F1 engines
“Really confusing” issue ended Lewis Hamilton’s Japan F1 podium hopes
Lewis Hamilton: F1 drivers “have no voting rights” as FIA “only listening to teams”
Antonelli scores historic F1 Japanese GP win after safety car boost
Why drivers fear post-Japan crunch FIA meetings on F1 rule changes won’t work
Leclerc’s latest foul-mouthed F1 qualifying rant over Ferrari radio
Subscribe to our F1 Newsletter
Get the latest F1 news, exclusives, interviews and promotions from the paddock direct to your inbox
For more information see our Privacy Policy
Lewis Hamilton has made a strong start to the 2026 F1 season, but one former Ferrari winner is wary of it just now
Four-time Formula 1 race winner Eddie Irvine says he “wouldn’t take it for granted” that Lewis Hamilton’s China podium signifies a genuine resurgence for the Ferrari driver.
The seven-time world champion scored a maiden Ferrari podium at the Chinese Grand Prix last month, doing so 12 months on from his first sprint win for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton endured a torrid first season with Ferrari in 2025, but has taken to the new car regulations well and has shown to be far more competitive at the start of the current campaign.
He was fourth in Australia, narrowly missing out on the podium to team-mate Charles Leclerc, while he had the better of the Monegasque in a tense scrap in China on his way to third.
Hamilton sits fourth in the drivers’ standings, eight points behind Leclerc, who was third in Japan as the former struggled to sixth.
It’s this result which Irvine, who raced for Ferrari between 1996 and 1999, highlights as a reason to be wary of Hamilton’s apparent form rebound.
“It’s always very complicated for the red team,” he said in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello sport.
“The problem is the distance from the F1 world, which is the United Kingdom. Compared to last year, however, I think they can achieve at least one win.
“I wouldn’t take it [Hamilton’s podium] for granted. In China, he got on the podium for the first time with Ferrari, but that’s his circuit.
“In Japan, however, he was outclassed by Charles Leclerc all weekend.”
Hamilton said after the Japanese Grand Prix that he was down on power compared to the drivers around him, which left him scratching his head.
“It was ok, it was a really average weekend for me,” he said at the time.
“I just struggled with power in the race for some reason; I was just down. I was just defending the whole time.
“The guys around me just seemed to have more power today, so I need to understand why that is the case, whether my engine is down or what.
“I just need to understand it.”
Fourth, third and sixth marks Hamilton’s best start to a season since 2023, when he was fifth, fifth and second for Mercedes in the opening three rounds.
It took the Briton four rounds to break into the top five in 2025 in the Ferrari.
Four-time Formula 1 race winner Eddie Irvine says he “wouldn’t take it for granted” that Lewis Hamilton’s China podium signifies a genuine resurgence for the Ferrari driver.
The seven-time world champion scored a maiden Ferrari podium at the Chinese Grand Prix last month, doing so 12 months on from his first sprint win for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton endured a torrid first season with Ferrari in 2025, but has taken to the new car regulations well and has shown to be far more competitive at the start of the current campaign.
He was fourth in Australia, narrowly missing out on the podium to team-mate Charles Leclerc, while he had the better of the Monegasque in a tense scrap in China on his way to third.
Hamilton sits fourth in the drivers’ standings, eight points behind Leclerc, who was third in Japan as the former struggled to sixth.
It’s this result which Irvine, who raced for Ferrari between 1996 and 1999, highlights as a reason to be wary of Hamilton’s apparent form rebound.
“It’s always very complicated for the red team,” he said in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello sport.
“The problem is the distance from the F1 world, which is the United Kingdom. Compared to last year, however, I think they can achieve at least one win.
“I wouldn’t take it [Hamilton’s podium] for granted. In China, he got on the podium for the first time with Ferrari, but that’s his circuit.
“In Japan, however, he was outclassed by Charles Leclerc all weekend.”
Hamilton said after the Japanese Grand Prix that he was down on power compared to the drivers around him, which left him scratching his head.
“It was ok, it was a really average weekend for me,” he said at the time.
“I just struggled with power in the race for some reason; I was just down. I was just defending the whole time.
“The guys around me just seemed to have more power today, so I need to understand why that is the case, whether my engine is down or what.
“I just need to understand it.”
Fourth, third and sixth marks Hamilton’s best start to a season since 2023, when he was fifth, fifth and second for Mercedes in the opening three rounds.
It took the Briton four rounds to break into the top five in 2025 in the Ferrari.
[analyse_source url=”http://crash.net/f1/news/1092888/1/former-ferrari-f1-winner-wary-lewis-hamiltons-early-2026-results”]