Former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger has praised Lewis Hamilton for overcoming his "very difficult" 2025 campaign, which saw his time with Ferrari begin in disappointing fashion.
The seven-time world champion endured a dreadful season last year, failing to claim a single podium while also being comfortably slower than Charles Leclerc.
Fast forward to the 2026 summer break, and Hamilton sits second in the drivers' championship, having claimed one win and four further podiums, while often proving quicker than his team-mate.
Having had a full winter with the Scuderia and being able to influence the development of the car to suit his driving style has worked wonders, as have the new power unit regulations.
Hamilton has also excelled when it comes to energy management, something that has further supported his resurgence this season.
Seeing Ferrari and Hamilton back towards the front has been a welcome sight for Berger, who truly believes the 41-year-old has turned a corner.
"In general, we are all so happy if we see a winning Ferrari," Berger told the official F1 website. "Ferrari is Ferrari.
"I was very happy also for Lewis, because for Lewis, it’s been very difficult. He came to Ferrari and wanted to repeat his success from the past.
"Suddenly, he found himself in a difficult situation from a technical side, but also from a team mate side – a very fast team mate.
"For Lewis, last year was very hard, but now it looks like he’s coming out of the corner a bit."
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