Lewis Hamilton prediction made amid promising Ferrari F1 2026 verdict

Will Buxton believes Ferrari may very well be again in rivalry in the course of the upcoming 2026 System 1 season.

Ferrari loved a robust pre-season and set the tempo in each the Barcelona shakedown and Bahrain check. The Italian staff’s reliability and efficiency impressed its rivals, whereas Ferrari additionally turned heads with some eye-catching improvements on its SF-26 automotive.

Regardless of noting the same old caveats that apply to pre-season testing, F1 TV presenter Buxton was stuffed with reward for Ferrari and reckons the Scuderia will bounce again strongly from a depressing and winless 2025.

“I will begin with Ferrari as a result of they’re the testing System 1 world champions, which we all know means completely nothing in any respect. However let’s begin with outright tempo. They topped the check,” Buxton instructed the Up To Velocity podcast.

“The laws have modified this yr. Now, each time the drivers hit a straight, they’re capable of open the rear wing and the entrance wing, scale back the drag, scale back the downforce, enhance topline velocity. Each staff, that rear wing opens. Ferrari’s would not simply open. It flips 180° and goes the other way up.

“Now, what does that do, proper? The fundamentals of aerodynamics in System 1 are the other of wings on aeroplanes. Wings on aeroplanes are designed to supply raise and launch them up into the sky. Wings on System 1 vehicles are the other way up and designed to push the vehicles down onto the observe and enhance grip.

“So, this wing flipping 180° basically turns it into an aeroplane wing and induces raise, and that tiny little winglet on the backside simply helps to maintain these tyres down on the bottom so the rear tyres aren’t lifted up into the air. It is extremely good. It means the Ferrari is lightning in a straight line.”

Along with Charles Leclerc setting the quickest time of testing, Ferrari’s rocket observe begins on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit grabbed consideration.

“And as we noticed from their observe begins, the Ferrari off the road… You have bought all the opposite vehicles lined up row one, row two, row three. Lewis is again on like row 10. He wasn’t even in Bahrain anymore. And by the point they bought to show one, Lewis was P1,” Buxton continued.

“The best way it appears for the time being, Ferrari might qualify on the again row of the grid and be main the grand prix by Flip 1. That is how good that automotive appears.”

Will Lewis Hamilton get again to his finest?

Lewis Hamilton endured a vastly disappointing debut season with Ferrari however Buxton is assured the 2026 regulation overhaul might assist the seven-time world champion get again to his prime.

The 41-year-old Briton failed to assert a grand prix podium final season for the primary time in his illustrious F1 profession and gained simply two races within the ground-effect period between 2022-2025.

“I’m hoping this performs again into the palms of among the, ought to we are saying old-school drivers, who didn’t benefit from the final technology of vehicles,” Buxton mentioned.

“Individuals are saying ‘Lewis is washed, he’s by no means going to win one other race, he’s by no means going to win one other world championship’. I don’t assume you lose the talents and talents which have turned him right into a seven-time world champion in a single day.

“As a result of what we noticed from 2021 to 2022 was Lewis went from the very best in his area, to questionable, in a single day. You don’t simply lose your capability in a single day. That’s the automotive, for me.”

Talking on the Chris Moyles Present on Radio X, Buxton added: “I feel Lewis Hamilton goes to be successful races once more.”