Lewis Hamilton Savours Ferrari Podium, Calls 2026 Racing “The Best I’ve Ever Experienced in Formula 1”

Lewis Hamilton walked away from the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix with a third-place finish and a broad smile, sharing the podium with race winner Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in what he described as one of the most enjoyable days of his career. Standing on the steps in Shanghai, the seven-time world champion was quick to direct his first words at the young Italian who beat him to the top step.

“Well firstly, I have to say a huge congratulations to Kimi. I’m so, so happy for you, buddy, and I’m so honoured to be able to share this moment with him. He took my seat, obviously, at this great team. So big congratulations to Mercedes, they’re really pulling ahead at the moment. We’ve got a lot of work to do to try and keep up, but I had so much fun. We had a great start. I wasn’t able to keep these guys behind, but to stay in the fight is one of the most enjoyable races that I’ve had in a long, long time, if ever. The fact that the cars are the way they are this year, and that battle with Charles at the end was awesome. Great wheel-to-wheel battle, very fair and just what we want. We’ve got to keep pushing. Also, this is the most people I’ve ever seen here in Shanghai, so they loved it.”

There was a moment mid-race when Hamilton and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc appeared to come within millimetres of each other, prompting questions about just how close it got. Hamilton did not shy away from the reality of it.

“I think there was one moment we did touch, but it was subtle, just a kiss, so it’s okay. But that’s what this is about. It’s about tough racing. I’ve got to say a huge thank you to everyone at Ferrari, everyone back at Maranello, for getting us into this position. I know it’s not exactly where we want to be. We want to be up front where these guys are, but we’ve got a great platform to work off and we’ve just got to literally go full gas. So, to everyone back home, thank you.”

Inside the press conference room, Hamilton reflected on what his 203rd Formula 1 podium meant after a difficult debut season at Ferrari. He acknowledged that this moment had taken time to arrive, and gave weight to the significance of being part of the Scuderia’s story.

“I’ve already said it, but a huge congratulations to this one here because it was amazing yesterday to be up here with him whilst he got his first pole, and now to get the first win. It’s truly special getting your first Grand Prix win, I remember getting my first. After so many years and then seeing him come through and seeing talented young people who truly deserve it get to the top, it’s really awesome. So, congratulations, mate. And then for me, I started this voyage and this dream of moving to Ferrari and being on the top step with them, and this podium has taken longer than I had hoped. After a difficult year last year, to be able to be a part of developing with them, working with them over the past year, gives me huge pride and it’s such a privilege to be a part of this brand. They provided us a really solid car. As George was saying, we’ve got a great package, particularly through corners, just got to step it up to be able to keep up with them on the straights. But yeah, it’s a very special day, and especially as it’s, I guess, Mother’s Day. My mum’s here, and yeah, it’s been an awesome week.”

One of the most talked-about aspects of the race was the close, competitive battle between Hamilton and Leclerc in the closing stages. Asked whether the new 2026 regulations had made wheel-to-wheel racing more enjoyable, Hamilton was emphatic.

“Yeah, the cars are easier to follow, much better than past years. You can get very close. There’s not a bad wake where you’re losing too much downforce. I think it’s the best racing that I’ve ever experienced in Formula 1. Of course, these guys are pulling past us at crazy speeds, but to be able to all be so close… It’s great that we have the good start at the moment and hopefully that stays the same through the year. Given that they’ve gone for a different option where they have more power, we’ve got to figure out how we can improve our straight-line speed. But hopefully it was an exciting race to watch for you guys because it was awesome in the car. It felt like go-karting, back and forth, back and forth, and you could really position your car in a nice way where there was a thin piece of paper between us sometimes, but we didn’t exchange any paint. I think that’s down to great drivers and respect.”

With Ferrari’s first win still the goal Hamilton arrived to chase, he was asked directly how close that target now feels compared to where things stood twelve months ago.

“I definitely feel that I could say that it’s more in sight than ever before. Last year it couldn’t have been further from view. But I think as you’ve seen, these guys in qualifying — somehow we were a little bit closer in qualifying yesterday — but in the race trim I think they’ve got four or five tenths on us at the moment. That’s a huge step to pick up, both in downforce and efficiency and also power. That’s a huge upgrade that we need to push for. But I really do believe in everyone back in Maranello and that it’s not an impossible feat to overcome. So yeah, forza Ferrari, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”

The introduction of new hybrid and battery deployment systems in 2026 has added a layer of complexity to how drivers manage races. Hamilton was candid about how steep that learning curve has been, and how it has shaped his approach over the opening rounds of the season.

“Very much so. Very much so. I think in testing actually I didn’t really get to experience it. It’s really more in these three races that we’ve had, with the Sprint race and this race and obviously Melbourne, that it’s really become apparent when you’re surrounded by the cars in the fight what battery usage is like, and when you have the boost, how to utilise it and all those sorts of things. So, very, very challenging. I mean, I don’t necessarily feel a huge step compared to these guys – when the boost is there, when you’re within that one second, they’re still pulling away on the straight. So we overall just need more. But it is much more study, I would say, than any other era that I’ve had, and you have to be very, very meticulous and pay attention to the fine detail.”

Away from the technical side, questions turned to Hamilton’s mental state and whether this result represented a genuine shift in form and confidence. He spoke openly about the work he had put in over the winter and the deliberate choices he made about how to approach 2026.

“I think I came into the season with the confidence that I’ve used to have, and I think I’ve stuck at it. And I would say in combination with things like this is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen here in Shanghai. When we were doing the drivers’ parade, we went up to Turn 11, 12, and that grandstand has been closed for, I think, almost 20 years, and it was amazing. I was so shocked to see it completely full. So, I really have to say a huge thank you to everyone here in Shanghai that came out to support our sport. And then Team LH China are unbelievable. They’re just the sweetest and most incredible supporters. My mum got to see it this weekend, which I think was really cool for her to witness the sincerity and the amazing support. So, they lift me up. And yeah, definitely this result — I’ve been pushing for a podium. It’s the hardest thing just to get a podium compared to a lot through my career and it was the biggest challenge to get that, and I just had to bide my time. I think coming into the season I really cultivated that really positive mental attitude and I’m taking that forward with me.”

Pressed further on whether he is back to his best and whether a record eighth world championship remains a realistic ambition, Hamilton gave one of the most detailed and personal answers of the afternoon.

“I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically, yes. I still think there’s room to improve. Training this winter has been the heaviest and the most intense that I’ve ever had, and that probably comes hand in hand with being older. It takes longer to recover. But I’ve managed to pull these new tools together. I’ve got a great trainer that I’ve been working with in the past, but we worked together since Christmas Day. Then the time at the factory, obviously new engineer, and that’s obviously been a real good boost as well. Great morale within the team. And as I said, I just decided on Christmas Day how I was going to start this season. I decided what I was going to do mentally and I’m going to continue to tweak that. I do think there’s more to come. I think I can still eke out more performance from this car. I’m still learning about it as I go, particularly with deployment and that. Then on the backside, mid to end of last year, digging deep with the engineers and talking to them about the things that I wanted from a car that I didn’t have any part of developing last year, to then develop the car with them this year and to see them listen and put some of those things that I’d asked for on the car, I’m incredibly grateful to them for listening on that side of things. It just makes you feel more united with everyone because you’re moving in the same direction. So, I’m looking forward to getting back next week to Maranello and seeing everybody. Yeah, big, big push.”

Sharing the podium with Antonelli and Russell also carried deep personal meaning for Hamilton, given the years he spent building a championship legacy at Mercedes. The presence of his long-time race engineer Bono only added to the emotion of the moment.

“Yeah, I mean, to continue on what these guys said, obviously to have been such a part of Mercedes through my career — they supported me from almost day one, 1997, I was 13 — so to then go through that journey with them and have the success with them, and obviously George and I had some difficult years in that past era, so it’s really special to see them back at the front because it’s a phenomenal team. And I know we’ve got our work cut out to beat them because when they’re on form like this it’s not easy to beat. To see George come through the sport and then get to Formula 1, and now see Kimi come through and to be able to be here with them, especially as Kimi took my seat. And then Bono, I’ve worked with for so long, so it’s like sitting here with my whole family. So that’s great.”

Hamilton also took time to reflect on the state of Formula 1’s growth in China, speaking to the broader picture of a sport that has changed significantly since his early visits to Shanghai.

“Well firstly, this circuit is phenomenal. That grandstand, it’s incredible. We did the drivers’ parade, we were looking at it, I took a picture of it, and it’s stood the test of time – the whole paddock, the whole place, and the track is awesome to drive. It’s one of the best tracks in the world and one I’ve always loved racing on. I think it’s great that racing and motor sport has continued to grow in China. You’ve got so many amazing car manufacturers here that are as good, if not better, than many around the rest of the world, so it could be great to see one come through at some stage.”

On the wider expansion of the sport and where Formula 1 could go next, Hamilton drew on his experience of watching the calendar and its audience grow across his career.

“I think you can see the sport has taken so many monumental steps. During my time here, in the early days it was kind of not progressing much, and obviously with the growth through Liberty and the steps they’ve taken… Again, in the beginning it was really frowned upon, I think, by some of the people that didn’t really want much change within the sport. And now they’re seeing it’s actually been great for the sport just to see it grow into new audiences. The fact is we’re in so many countries still, but I always talk about it that there’s one continent that we’re not at currently, and I think we’ve got to definitely create more opportunity for things in the future and different places to go potentially. There are still so many amazing circuits around the world. We’ve obviously got Madrid coming on, two races in Spain that we used to have… Yeah, maybe in the future that could be a slot for another race maybe. But yeah, I’m really, really just looking forward to seeing the sport continue to grow. We’ve got the second movie we’re going to work on soon maybe and I’m sure ‘Drive to Survive’ has also been a huge part of that development as well.”

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Written by

Jarrod Partridge

Jarrod Partridge is the Co-Founder of F1 Chronicle and an FIA accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following Formula 1. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered F1 races at circuits around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every race report, driver profile, and technical analysis he writes.

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