Lewis Hamilton sparks 'biggest intrigue' with new Ferrari after 'very violent' F1 era

Former F1 driver Anthony Davidson has backed Lewis Hamilton to enjoy a more successful campaign with Ferrari this year after a torrid maiden year.

Hamilton joined the Italian squad in 2025 as he began a new career chapter following his exit from Mercedes.

However, the seven-time champion failed to secure a single podium result across the season as he struggled to gel with the car and the new environment.

On numerous occasions, Hamilton dealt himself messages of harsh criticism, going as far as to suggest Ferrari should look into hiring a new driver.

Speaking exclusively to RacingNews365, Davidson has backed Hamilton to enjoy a more successful time behind the wheel this year.

“It was a hard watch and a hard listen,” he said. “It didn't feel right and didn't seem like Lewis to me. 

“Hopefully he's got a car that can consistently run at the front and even deliver some race wins. 

“I'm sure he's going to win some races this year. I'm sure he will. Let's see how it plays out. 

“Last year, nothing clicked for him, apart from that sprint weekend in Shanghai. You know the talent is still in there. It's just needs to somehow be unlocked, through the team and the car and the situation. 

“It's one of the biggest intrigues for me this year, to see how he goes.”

Hamilton to enjoy 'more movement' with new cars

Hamilton's second year at Ferrari falls as new technical regulations come into play, which completely change the dynamic of F1.

The cars will have to be managed in a much different way than the previous era, while the scale of the changes could offer a significant pecking order shake-up.

Having struggled with the ground-effect cars over the last four years, Hamilton has been backed by Davidson to enjoy a more enjoyable experience this time around.

“They have more movement within the platform of the car, and he's quite good at reading that,” he said.

“Hopefully they're less peaky to drive and that will he'll be able to showcase that side of him that we all know he's got. 

“He clearly didn't click with the previous iteration of F1 cars - stiff, low, snappy, very violent when it does let go. 

“He's one of those drivers who quite likes the car to move around under him and have a bit more compliance.

“So fingers crossed for him, he will be able to get back into the zone where he wants the car to be this year.”

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