Lewis Hamilton has been “reinvigorated” this season, according to former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell.
Hamilton ended his 16-month drought without an F1 podium when he finished third at the Chinese Grand Prix, his maiden rostrum finish since joining Ferrari in 2025.
The 41-year-old also has also been much closer to team-mate Charles Leclerc on pace, having struggled throughout last year with the previous generation of F1 car.
However, the new regulations for this year appear to suit Hamilton’s driving style and Mansell did not rule out the seven-time world champion winning a race at some point this season.
“Lewis is fired up again. Lewis has had a brilliant career and it’s fantastic what he’s doing,” the 1992 F1 world champion.
“He’s now reinvigorated. Ferrari has done a fabulous job over the winter. They’re there or thereabouts, Mercedes are the forerunners and McLaren is going to be there too.”
Hamilton said at the last race in Japan that he “prepared my mind and body better than ever” which has contributed to his return to form.
“When I joined Ferrari last year, I had nothing to do with any of the build on that car. It was an evolution of the previous year’s car, so I joined and it was a car not really built for me and generally didn’t suit my driving style,” he said.
“There were elements I was asking for which we couldn’t put on in the season because it was too expensive, like suspension, to build within the budget cap.
“It was a really hard season. We didn’t develop the car through the year because we decided to focus on this year’s car. I got to work on the simulator, learn and engage with the engineers.
“There were things I was asking for like I said ‘we really have to have this on the car next year’. And I pushed and pushed and pushed.
“We come to this year’s car and it’s a completely new start for everybody but we have a couple things I asked for, which I’m grateful that they listened to. Charles and I tested them and we both love it.”
