Lewis Hamilton’s Racing Comeback: Is It the Car or Just Getting Comfortable? (Explained Simply)

What’s the Story?

Jenson Button (a former Formula 1 driver) thinks that Lewis Hamilton’s recent good results are mostly because the new type of race cars fits the way Lewis likes to drive. He says it’s not just because Lewis is finally settling in at his new team, Ferrari.

Formula 1 (or F1) is the top level of car racing, where super-fast single-seater cars compete. A "team" is the group of people and engineers who build the car and support the driver.

Lewis’s Awesome Results This Season

Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time F1 champion (that means he won the whole competition seven times!). He had a rough start at Ferrari, but this season he’s doing great. Here are his top finishes:

• Third place at the Chinese Grand Prix — his first podium (top-three finish) as a Ferrari driver.
• Second place at the Canadian Grand Prix.
• Second place at the Monaco Grand Prix.
• First place at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix — his first ever win for Ferrari!

How Did We Get Here? (A Simple Timeline)

1. Lewis drove for a team called Mercedes for 12 years.
2. At the beginning of 2025, he joined Ferrari (the famous team based in Maranello, Italy).
3. The 41-year-old driver struggled during his first season with Ferrari because everything was new.
4. This year (the next season), he became more comfortable and started getting amazing results.

Important Point: Jenson Button says getting used to the team helped a little, but the biggest reason for Lewis’s improvement is the car itself!

What Jenson Button Said

Jenson Button spoke on the Sky Sports F1 Show (a TV programme about racing). He explained his thoughts:

• "I’m sure over the winter they had time to sit down and discuss what worked for him, what doesn’t work for him," Button said.
• He also noted: "It’s the first year, you know, their relationship, the engineer relationship is always a really tricky one as well, especially when you’ve left someone like Bono [Peter Bonnington] at Mercedes. It’s such a close relationship. So, it does take a minute." (An engineer is the person who helps set up the car and talks to the driver during races.)
• But Button stressed: "It has to be part of it, but I still think the biggest part of it is just the car. The car suits his style more. It’s a Formula 1 car he’s used to driving in terms of feel. For me, that is way above settling into a team and making them listen."

He added another key idea: "He wasn’t there at Mercedes either the last four years. He’s not really been the Lewis that we remember, absolutely annihilating his team-mate in qualifying. George [Russell] had the better of him quite a lot of the time. So, I think it’s down more so to the style of cars. We’re back to a car that’s more natural now. It’s more of a normal Formula 1 car."
(Qualifying is a session where drivers set fast laps to decide their starting position; "team-mate" is the other driver on the same team.)

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Why Does the Car Style Matter? (ELI5)

Imagine you love riding a certain kind of bicycle. If someone gives you a weird new bike that handles differently, you might be slow. But if they give you one that feels like your old favorite, you ride great! That’s what happened with Lewis: the new F1 rules (called "new-regulation cars") made cars that feel natural to him, like older "normal" F1 cars he drove before.

Summary

• Lewis Hamilton, 41, moved from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025 after 12 years.
• He found his first Ferrari year tough but has bounced back with podiums and a win this season.
• Jenson Button believes the main reason is the new-generation F1 car suiting Lewis’s driving style, not just getting comfortable with the team.
• The new cars feel more like the "normal" F1 cars Lewis used to dominate in.

FAQ

Q1: Who is Jenson Button?
A: He is a former Formula 1 driver and world champion who now shares expert opinions on racing TV shows.

Q2: What does "podium" mean?
A: In racing, a podium is when you finish in the top three (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) and get to stand on a special raised platform.

Q3: What are "new-regulation cars"?
A: These are F1 cars built using updated rules set by the sport. The changes affect how the car handles and feels to the driver.

Q4: Why is the engineer (like Bono) so important?
A: The engineer communicates with the driver during races and helps tune the car’s settings. A strong, trusting relationship helps the driver perform better.

Q5: What is qualifying?
A: Qualifying is a shorter session before the race where drivers set their fastest lap to decide where they start on the grid. Starting near the front makes it easier to win.