As the new Formula 1 season approaches, David Coulthard has voiced his concerns about how Lewis Hamilton is settling into life at Ferrari.
After a difficult year for both Ferrari and Hamilton, much of the focus heading into this season is on whether they can get things back on track. Early signs from testing are encouraging. There’s hope that Hamilton could soon break through with his first Grand Prix podium for Ferrari.
But while the early results look promising, Hamilton’s transition hasn’t been without questions. One point of curiosity is how little support he brought over from Mercedes compared to what many expected.
Coulthard noted: “I was quite surprised how few members of his core team made the move with him.” He also spoke about the reasons behind this, adding: “Hamilton would not have wanted to disrupt Mercedes by picking up more staff, but it did feel like a lonely start to a massive career change.”
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This left some wondering if it was only a matter of time before retirement became part of the conversation. Speaking during testing, Coulthard touched on this possibility:
“He does appear very focused still on another title and there are reasons why he struggled in 2025 beyond talent,” he explained. “But there were moments in testing where you start to wonder if he might be reaching that moment where he sees retirement as something close.”
The FIA’s new rules around aerodynamics seem to favour experience over raw youth, which could play into Hamilton’s hands as someone who understands car setups better than most drivers.
David Coulthard highlights Hamilton’s unfamiliar start at Ferrari
Coulthard spoke about the situation on the Up To Speed Podcast, saying: “I find it absolutely fascinating that Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes and walked into Ferrari alone. He didn’t take anyone with him.
“And he may have brought Angela [Cullen] back; she’d gone away towards the end of his Mercedes career.
“So he had, let’s say, someone around him that was a sort of touch point to make him feel comfortable. But every time I left a team, I took an engineer with me.
“They’re your data bank of knowledge? The relationship with your engineer is the most important in the team, because that’s the person who fights your corner in terms of new parts coming into the team.
“That’s the person who gives you all the information when you’re out on track to define what your strategy is going to be.
“The strategist can tell you, pit now, but if the driver doesn’t come in, you’re not pitting now. So it’s so important, arguably more important than the relationship you have with your partner.”
Coulthard reflected on his own experience as his career neared its end and drew some parallels: “When the stopwatch stopped talking to me and the lap times weren’t there anymore.
“I realised you just lose that edge. And I think in footballing terms, losing a yard or something is the expression that you just can’t get on the ball anymore.”
Coulthard added: “So, I just wonder whether Lewis has lost that little half a tenth that he had over all his teammates in the past because in the last three years, he hasn’t dominated his teammates in like he did in the previous 15 years.”
Lewis Hamilton says he is finding more comfort in the SF-26 heading into 2026 season
Leclerc, who has now been with Ferrari for several years, knows the inner workings of the team and car inside out. Even though the SF-26 is a new model, his familiarity with Ferrari’s approach gives him an early advantage.
Hamilton admitted he needed time to adjust after switching from Mercedes. But testing has given him a chance to fine-tune his approach, and he’s reported feeling more at ease behind the wheel.
This year’s car has seen several adjustments aimed at helping drivers manage high-rev situations better, something Hamilton struggled with last season. He has spoken about feeling more settled in this area during testing, although it remains to be seen how that translates once racing begins.
If that competitive fire is starting to fade even slightly, regaining it is no small feat – just ask Kimi Raikkonen or Sebastian Vettel.
While testing times can be misleading due to varying fuel loads and setups, there were moments when Hamilton looked comfortable during longer runs. The real test will come under race conditions when every decision counts.
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