Ferrari says 2026 car won’t be built solely for Hamilton

Ferrari’s 2026 Formula 1 car is not being tailored specifically to Lewis Hamilton’s driving style, insists deputy team principal Jerome d’Ambrosio.

The statement comes after Hamilton revealed he has been in close contact with Ferrari’s new technical director Loic Serra to help shape next year’s all-new machine, claiming it will include some of his “DNA”, but d’Ambrosio played down any suggestion that the team is building the car around one driver.

"You always have to be careful when you say the car was built with a certain direction in mind," he told Auto Motor und Sport. "Development is primarily about maximum performance. Loic and his team simply want to build the fastest car possible, and there are certain objective parameters they have to consider."

This week at Mugello, both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc tested the latest major upgrade, an all-new rear suspension layout designed under Serra’s leadership, which is set to debut at Spa next weekend.

D’Ambrosio explained that driver needs are considered only after performance targets are set.

"It's only in the second phase that we consider what the drivers might need," he said. "There are many things that can be done to ensure they have the necessary tools to adapt the car to their own driving style as much as possible."

While Hamilton, 40, has recently sounded more at ease with the 2025 car, he has reportedly been shifting toward Leclerc’s preferred setup, one that’s typically more prone to oversteer.

"It's important to us as a team that we sit down with both drivers a few times a year," said D'Ambrosio, the former Marussia racer. "The question then becomes what they both need and how to translate that into performance. If you listen to both of them, you'll find that their wishes are very similar."

Interestingly, while Leclerc has occasionally voiced increasing frustration with Ferrari’s current form, Hamilton has continued to emphasise his proactive involvement in shaping next year’s car alongside Serra.

"The fact that Loic worked with Lewis at Mercedes for many years obviously helps with communication, but Loic also has a very good relationship with Charles," D’Ambrosio admitted.