Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1’s new regulations have changed the series for the better as teams no longer have to cope with ‘bouncing’.
The previous rules gave teams more freedom to shape their floors in a way which generated downforce. However this often led to problems with ‘bouncing’, where the cars repeatedly struck the ground at high speed, causing severe discomfort.
Hamilton did not compete for the world championship during any of the past four seasons, which he spent at Mercedes and Ferrari. He said he is much happier with the new regulations, which forced teams to simplify their floors again.
“It’s really nice that we’ve started the season [and] we don’t have bouncing,” he told the official F1 channel, “because obviously that last generation was a nightmare for everyone with bouncing, apart from maybe the Red Bulls.
“So that’s one thing out of the way and it comes then back down to just pure car performance.”
Ferrari did little development work on their car during Hamilton’s first year with them last season because they prioritised work on their 2026 design. Hamilton, who scored his first podium finish for the team in China two weeks ago, said that approach has paid off.
“Everyone’s starting from scratch and it’s a big reset for everybody,” he said. “So then it’s a race to the finish line. It’s like a race to see who can develop and push the team and row faster and stronger and with more stamina through the season to continue to pile on performance to a car.
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“That makes it so much more exciting. We’re seeing development coming through, I was at the factory last week, and this is the time that you can go to the different departments and you can hold meetings with people and say: ‘What are you focusing on here?’ ‘These are the areas that I’m really struggling with the car, can you put some more resource here?’ ‘This is exactly what we need.’
“Last year, we couldn’t do that, because there was no point going and having those meetings for the car that we were in, but at least we [were able] to have those in plan for this year.”
Hamilton won just two grands prix in the last four years, one of which was inherited after his team mate was disqualified. Now 41 years old, he has faced questions over whether he is past the peak of his powers.
He said he is now in a position to disprove his doubters. “When you have difficult years, there’s lots of questions all over the place,” he said. “Ultimately I saw certain individuals that hadn’t had anywhere near the success that I’d had just talking negatively as they continue to do so today.
“It felt great to be able to come back and come into this season and start off strong, to be able to show that I still have what it takes to compete at the front, and I’ll continue to try and show up and deliver in that way.”
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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