Lewis Hamilton is arguably the great driver in Formula 1 history, but even he admits it has been a difficult start to life with Ferrari in 2025.
The seven-time world champion, one of only two drivers to hold such a distinction, hasn't been up to his usual level of performance and even stated his belief that the 2025 season will continue to be "painful" after a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in which he finished P7.
What has made his start with Ferrari so difficult appears to be his lack of understanding of any specific issues with his SF-25. This makes it harder for him to figure out appropriate setups or help engineers forge a new, improved direction for later in the season.
"Balance, struggling to feel the car beneath me, but there's no particular thing. It's just, there's nothing to say, 'Hey, this is the issue'."Lewis Hamilton, speaking to The Race
These issues, however, may be another indicator of something very few people have spoken about over the past few years with Hamilton, and it could suggest that the change in regulations in 2026 will significantly impact his future.
Why 2026 is 'make or break' for Lewis Hamilton
To say the least, the ground effect era in Formula 1 hasn't been particularly kind to Lewis Hamilton. In fact, in terms of final standings in the championship, the two worst finishes of his career have come during this time (seventh in 2024 and sixth in 2022).
Between 2014 and 2021, Hamilton won six world titles and finished second the two years he didn't win (2016, 2021). The new regulations that began in 2022, however, immediately resulted in a struggle.
Part of this can certainly be attributed to some car design decisions made by Mercedes at the time, including the no-side pods innovation that did not live up to expectations. However, in two out of three seasons, Hamilton was beaten by teammate George Russell, who did not appear to struggle so much with Mercedes' cars.
Equally, these struggles have continued since his arrival at Ferrari, where teammate Charles Leclerc has not had such difficulties. The Monegasque was even a genuine title contender in 2022.
Many, including Hamilton himself, have tried to pinpoint why he has had such struggles for consistency. He finished third in the standings 2023, and he even picked up two Grands Prix victories in 2024, so there has been potential there, but Hamilton has not been able to put it together in the same way he did in the previous era.
Perhaps, then, more credence should be given to the theory that he has simply struggled with the current ground effect cars.
A similar case study, albeit at a different level, could be Daniel Ricciardo. He was a title contender and regular podium finisher during the previous era, but when the ground effect regulations kicked in, the Australian became a shadow of his former self and now finds himself out of Formula 1 altogether.
If that's the case, then, there could be hope that Hamilton can begin to regain his former glory when the regulations change once again in 2026, as the sport moves away from the current iteration of cars and the machinery becomes more akin to that which was seen in the 2010s.
Should the new regulations be better suited to Hamilton's driving style, it could thrust him and Ferrari firmly forward in the hunt for championships and bring back the genuine belief that he can win that elusive eighth title.
However, if Hamilton finds himself struggling even after the regulations change, a much more difficult conversation might need to be had: one where it is not necessarily down to a difficulty adapting to certain regulations or types of cars, but rather one that involves Father Time.
At 40 years old, Hamilton is the second oldest driver on the grid, behind Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso. As the Briton's age continues to move past this particular point, it might become more and more difficult for him to keep up to speed with the increasingly youthful grid.
If he struggles with the 2026 cars, it could simply be a case that the best days are behind him, and that while he had a sensational run and cemented his legend in the sport, that story is now winding down and the odd flashes of success, such as the 2024 British Grand Prix, are just that.
It may be difficult to see Hamilton as anything but what he is, a legend, but all legends have an ending, and if he isn't able to get to grips with the new regulations, it could be the sign that his career is coming to an end.
If, however, he comes out of the gates flying in 2026, then hope will spring eternal, and Hamilton may very well reach the pinnacle at least one more time. There is, of course, always hope.