Lewis Hamilton adamant he does not regret decision to join Ferrari

Hamilton said last weekend that he was eager for the year to end and added that he is not looking forward to 2026 either.

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton addresses the media ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. Picture: David Davies/PA

Lewis Hamilton insisted he has no regrets about joining Ferrari and said his claim that he was not looking forward to next season with the Italian giants was delivered in the “heat of frustration”.

The seven-time world champion’s troubled debut campaign with Ferrari hit rock bottom in Las Vegas after he qualified 20th and last.

Hamilton progressed to 10th, elevated to eighth by the end of the race after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were both disqualified, but then said he was eager for the year to end and added that he is not looking forward to 2026 either.

Lewis Hamilton has endured a troubled first year at Ferrari (David Davies/PA)

Responding to his comments in Doha ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “I would be surprised if the other drivers are excited about next year at the end of a season.

“Usually, you don’t have a lot of energy at the end of the season. It was in the heat of frustration and often there is a lot of frustration at the end of a race when it does not go well. I am excited to see what the team does next year.”

Hamilton left Mercedes – the constructor which carried him to six of his record-equalling seven titles – to fulfil a lifelong dream by joining Ferrari.

Asked if he had any regrets about leaving the Silver Arrows, Hamilton continued: “That is a hypothetical question and I will not really get into that.

“But I don’t regret the decision I made, joining this team. I know it takes time to build and grow within an organisation and I expected that.”

Charles Leclerc has out-performed and out-scored Lewis Hamilton (David Davies/PA)

Hamilton is 74 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ standings and still awaiting his first podium for Ferrari. He has been out-qualified by Leclerc 17 times in 22 appearances. The Monegasque also has seven top-three finishes.

But Hamilton insisted: “I am not concerned about that. I have just been focusing on my side during this period.

“Charles has done a great job. He has been here for seven years and he has a team around him who he has worked with for many years so it is a well-oiled machine.

“On my side, it is a new group of people. It is a new environment that I am still getting used to.

“We are working as hard as we can to get it to work as well as we can and to compare it to someone who has had it for seven years, you don’t just do it like that. It takes a bit of time.”