Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Monaco, 2026

Lewis Hamilton feels like he is “having to remind people of who I am” as his form has improved in his second season at Ferrari.

Having failed to finish on the podium in every grand prix last year, Hamilton has taken rostrum finishes in half of them so far this year. His second place finish in Monaco lifted him ahead of George Russell to second place in the championship.

The seven-times world champion believes some people have been slow to credit his improved form so far this year.

“I’m grateful to have moved forwards because we started third and to get to second is awesome,” he said after Sunday’s race. “To have two second [places], especially I think with the good race in Montreal everyone was kind of like, ‘Yeah, but he’s quick there’, I feel like I’m in a period where I’m having to remind people of who I am.

“My fans last year were telling me to [remember] who I am, and now I’m having to show up each weekend and try to do that.”

Hamilton hasn’t been as high as second in the championship since his narrow and controversial defeat at the end of 2021. He praised Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur, who had to miss part of last weekend’s event on medical grounds, for making the changes Hamilton felt were needed for him to become more competitive.

“I can’t believe that I’m second in the championship and I’m really happy and thankful for that,” he said. “I couldn’t have done that without this team, without the reliability that we have, and also with Fred.

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“Fred has been awesome in supporting me. I think last year was really tough for both of us and [I’ve been] begging him for certain changes, and he pulled through and he did those, and now I’m seeing the fruits of that and I’m able to finally deliver for them.

“It’s still very early days in the season, so we just have to keep chasing. It’s actually easier to chase than it is to defend, I would say, in life. So, whilst [Mercedes] are very quick and they’re an amazing team, we’re going to keep pushing, keep chasing, and I have no doubt at some stage we’re going to get there.”

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Keith Collantine

Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine