Martin Brundle delivers Lewis Hamilton verdict with Ferrari ‘big step’ predicted

Martin Brundle believes Lewis Hamilton can still win races and even an eighth world title in F1 2026.

After four years of struggles in Formula 1’s ground-effect era, during which Hamilton added just two race wins to bring his impressive tally of 105, the Briton is both more excited and comfortable with the new generation of cars.

Lewis Hamilton backed for 2026 title charge by Martin Brundle

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This season, Formula 1 returned to overbody aerodynamics with the smaller and lighter cars. A new engine formula also came into effect, with this year’s power units running on a 50/50 split between electrical and combustion power.

The combination suits Hamilton’s driving style better than the ground-effect cars.

Although the 41-year-old has yet to win a grand prix this season, he did step onto the podium for the first time as a Ferrari driver at the Chinese Grand Prix, where he was third behind the dominant Mercedes squad.

Hamilton has been involved in the fight at the front in all three grands prix, challenging his team-mate Charles Leclerc to be best of the rest in thrilling wheel-to-wheel action.

While it has been the best of Hamilton in red, it’s arguably been the best of Hamilton since 2021 when he traded blows with Max Verstappen for the world title.

It has Brundle predicting that Hamilton could add a 106th grand prix win this season, perhaps even an eighth world title.

F1 2026: Lewis Hamilton v Charles Leclerc

F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between teammates

F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates

Brundle told Sky Sports News: “Lewis clearly enjoys these cars much more.

“Ferrari is more competitive and I think again will make a big step for Miami.

“Lewis obviously prefers this type of car to the seasons we had with the ground-effect cars that were smashing against the ground and were quite brutal things, it didn’t seem to suit his style.

“But just his mood and just the way he’s going about it, he just seems a lot happier because Ferrari is more competitive.

“He’s got to beat Charles Leclerc if he’s going to win the world championship in the other Ferrari, and others.

“Let’s see if he can sustain that.

“If there’s a sniff of a victory, I think Lewis is still very much capable of taking that.”

So far, though, it has been all Mercedes.

The Brackley squad has claimed three grand prix wins, the first two in 1-2 finishes, as well as the victory at the Sprint in China.

Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers’ standings on 72 points, nine ahead of George Russell, with Leclerc in third place ahead of Hamilton. The Ferrari teammates are 23 and 31 points down, respectively.

But with 19 race weekends still to come, the championship is by no means over, nor is it a two-driver race.

“I think it’s totally wide open,” insisted Brundle.

“We have got a Sprint weekend in Miami, so there are Sprint points to be won, Grand Prix points to be won.

“This is going to ebb and flow. I see teams leapfrogging others with some upgrades because there is so much upside potential with these cars.

“Anybody I would say in the top four teams, any of those eight drivers, could win this year’s world championship.”

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