Having sampled F1 2026 machinery for the first time in Barcelona, Lewis Hamilton declared the new-generation cars \u201cmore enjoyable\u201d than the ground effect machines left behind.<\/p>\n
Hamilton endured a difficult first season with Ferrari under ground effect regulations in 2025, but initial feedback on the SF-26 revealed sharper handling compared to last year\u2019s machinery.<\/p>\n
Lewis Hamilton on F1 2026 cars: \u2018More enjoyable\u2019<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Sweeping changes to the chassis and engine regulations arrive for F1 2026, creating a formula vastly different to the previous ground effect ruleset.<\/p>\n Hamilton was unable to challenge for a record eighth World Championship in that era, and suffered a very disappointing first season with Ferrari, in what was the final year with F1 ground effect cars in 2025.<\/p>\n His first experience at the wheel of an F1 2026 car took place in Barcelona, where an unofficial five-day test took place from 26-30 January. The lap times were not made public, but Hamilton was widely reported to have set the fastest time of that test, a 1:16.348.<\/p>\n Hamilton liked what he felt in the Ferrari SF-26 underneath him.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of just understanding the car and the balance, we have a lot less downforce than previous years,\u201d he told the Formula 1 website immediately following the test.<\/p>\n \u201cThe car generation is actually a little bit more fun to drive. It\u2019s oversteery and snappy and sliding, but it\u2019s a little bit easier to catch.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I would definitely say more enjoyable.\u201d<\/p>\n More Barcelona test talking points via PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Shakedown conclusions: Mercedes back in the light, Red Bull finds peace, key Newey question<\/a><\/p>\n Winners and losers from the Barcelona private test<\/a><\/p>\n Hamilton will be back behind the wheel of the SF-26 in Bahrain, host of the two official pre-season tests from 11-13 and 18-20 February.<\/p>\n From there, the season-opening Australian Grand Prix will take place on 8 March.<\/p>\n Hamilton was asked to detail what his schedule looks like following Barcelona.<\/p>\n \u201cQuite busy,\u201d he confirmed. \u201cWe still have a lot of promotional days that we have next week, so next week\u2019s really mostly a promotional period.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, the team will be digesting everything that\u2019s happened this week and taking all our notes from Charles [Leclerc] and I, and trying to rework, remap and reconfigure things for the Bahrain test, setting up a plan.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will have meetings in between our long shoot days. So we have big shoot days next week. Charles and I, we do them all together, but I think they\u2019re like, eight or 10-hour shoot days. So not crazy, but still.<\/p>\n \u201cIn between them, there\u2019s training in the morning. Though, Charles doesn\u2019t like to get up early, so I don\u2019t think he\u2019ll be training! And then the shoots. Then we have the meeting with the engineers in between. So it\u2019s full days, so it should be fun.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then sim day, and then just training, getting prepared for the test. And then we\u2019ll be away for a couple weeks. Then we come back, there\u2019ll be a couple more promo days, and then probably sim preparation for the race.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n