As Formula 1 prepares to wave goodbye to its current rule set in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton is making no secret of the fact that he’s ready to see the back of the sport’s ground-effect cars.
After four seasons wrestling machinery he believes never suited drivers or the spectacle, the seven-time world champion says he’s counting down the hours until the regulations reset in 2026 – though he’s far from convinced the next era will be an improvement.
Hamilton, who is on the verge of concluding a challenging first season with Ferrari, was frank when asked to reflect on the era that began in 2022 when he was with Mercedes.
"There's not a single thing I'll miss about these cars," he told the media. "It is as simple as that. I have not enjoyed it."
The 105-time Grand Prix winner offered his forthright view when comparing the current generation to some of the series’ more beloved designs.
After years spent battling porpoising, balance inconsistencies, and narrow operating windows, he said the ground-effect machines always fell short of what drivers crave.
"2017 was cool because it was a bigger, wider car,” he explained. “It just looked beefier and had more downforce. It was mega. This generation was probably the worst one, I would say. And I'm praying that the next one is not worse than that."
A leap into the unknown
With the 2026 technical overhaul on the horizon – featuring reduced downforce, major powertrain changes and active aerodynamics – Hamilton has already begun simulator work with Ferrari but admitted he still isn’t sure what to expect.
"I think it's really, really hard to predict what it's going to be like. I don't want to say too many negative things. It feels so much different and I'm not sure you're going to like it,” he said.
"But maybe I'll be surprised and maybe it'll be amazing. Maybe overtaking will be incredible. Maybe it'll be easier to overtake. I don't know."
His caution deepened when he considered how the new balance of downforce and torque might play out in difficult conditions.
"We have less downforce, more torque,” he explained. “Driving in the rain, I can imagine it's going to be very, very, very tough. Much harder than it is already with what we have today."
Hamilton also expects the spectacle of racing to change as energy and hybrid deployment become more visible on track.
"Whether you'll like the fact that we're downshifting on the straight and different boost parameters... But it is a massive challenge for us all and I think that's really what the sport is about.
“It's about continuously challenging ourselves. If we just did the same thing all the time, it would be easy."
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Hamilton’s verdict reads as both relief – he won’t miss these cars – and caution: he’s hoping the next era doesn’t take the sport further away from what drivers and fans enjoy.
Now part of Ferrari for the 2025 season, the champion’s early comments carry added weight as he adjusts to new machinery and a new team.
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