Hamilton ‘not looking forward to 2026 season’

After a difficult year that included a challenging Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton said he is not looking forward to the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The first time in his 19-year F1 career that he qualified last for the race was when he first competed on pure pace.

In the final stages of the race, the Ferrari driver quickly climbed up the standings to take the lead over Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber on a medium tyre, and he placed 10th overall.

“It’s a terrible outcome,” the author declared. Hamilton stated on BBC Radio 5 Live, “There is nothing to take away from today.”

“I’m anticipating it to end, and I’m anticipating it to end. I’m not anticipating the following one.

After the team debrief, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said he would take Hamilton’s comments into account because they were made at the right moment.

Let’s get to the point. Let’s talk about it after the debrief, Vasseur said, and jump out of the car and say the first comment is always a little too much.

Lewis has obviously had to deal with it over the last few weekends, and he acknowledged that it has been difficult.

We just need to relax and concentrate on the next two races, Lewis said, “I understand the reaction right after the race because we will be back.”

“And keep in mind that Lewis was there in FP1 and FP2 as well, which means that we must build up the weekend like this, and starting from P20 is undoubtedly not the best way to get a good result.”

Hamilton leads Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who is currently fifth, by 73 points.

Hamilton, 40, finished third overall in the Ferrari race podium, but he did win the sprint race there in March.

It would mark Hamilton’s first season without a podium finish in Formula One if he didn’t finish in the top three in the final two races of 2025.

After a poor qualifying session on Friday in wet conditions in Las Vegas, where he struggled for pace on the extreme wet tyre, he was on the back foot.

After leaving the Sao Paulo Grand Prix two weeks ago, Hamilton said his first year with Ferrari was “a nightmare.”