Should we have high hopes for Hamilton and Ferrari? F1 Q&A

Should we have high hopes for Hamilton and Ferrari? F1 Q&A Published 1 hour ago 58 Comments The 2026 Formula 1 season is nearly upon us and there are many questions to answer, following the biggest regulation change in the sport's history. The chassis, tyres and fuel are all subject to new regulations, and we will have to get used to new terms, such as overtake mode, boost mode and active aero. Last year's drivers' champion Lando Norris will be hoping that McLaren remain the dominant team, but Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all looked strong in pre-season. Before this weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your questions. What can we expect from Ferrari this season? Is it possible to have high hopes for an eighth world championship for Lewis Hamilton? - Liam There are two questions in one here, and the answer to one does not necessarily define the other. It's self-evident that Lewis Hamilton can only fight for the title if his car and team are up to it. Until the season starts, no-one knows for sure whether that's the case, but the signs in testing were positive. Most teams had the impression after six days in Bahrain that Mercedes and Ferrari were the teams to beat heading to the first race of the season. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has been saying for some time that the first race will not define the season. He believes development will be significant enough that there will be a chance for the order to change through the year. Of course, that could be both true, as well as a not very subtle way of taking the pressure off if Ferrari do struggle in Australia. Even if the car is competitive, though, there have to be questions about Hamilton after his lacklustre performances in both 2024 with Mercedes and 2025 with Ferrari. He addressed his difficult 2025, and his many negative comments, in an Instagram post recently, saying he was "re-set and refreshed" and admitting: "For a moment, I forgot...