David Coulthard dismisses Hamilton Ferrari regret despite Mercedes 'family' reunion

Lewis Hamilton celebrated his first Ferrari podium alongside his former Mercedes colleagues, but David Coulthard believes the seven-time champion has no regrets about his seismic team switch for 2026. The move comes as Mercedes, not Ferrari, has emerged as the early-season benchmark under F1's new regulations.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's decision to leave a resurgent Mercedes for a currently slower Ferrari is one of the biggest driver market gambles in recent F1 history. His evident closeness with his former team and their competitive success raises natural questions about second thoughts, but insiders suggest his focus is firmly on the future challenge with the Scuderia.

The details:

• Mercedes' Early Dominance: Under the new 2026 technical regulations, Mercedes has secured back-to-back 1-2 finishes in Australia and China, plus a Sprint win, living up to its pre-season favorite status.
• Ferrari's Position: The Italian team is currently ‘second best’ to Mercedes in both qualifying and race pace, making Hamilton's podium in Shanghai a hard-fought achievement.
• The 'Family' Reunion: Hamilton's podium celebration featured his former race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington (now with Kimi Antonelli) and George Russell, which he described as being “with my whole family.”
• Coulthard's Perspective: The former F1 driver argues Hamilton is a “here and now” competitor focused on his new opportunity, not looking back. He also suggested Hamilton's departure made Mercedes' future transition easier.
• Renewed Motivation: Coulthard believes the new-generation cars have reignited Hamilton's love for driving, contributing to his strong performances despite Ferrari's performance deficit.

What's next:

The central narrative will be whether Ferrari can develop its SF-26 to close the gap to Mercedes during the season. Hamilton's adaptation and performance against Charles Leclerc will be scrutinized as he builds his case for a potential 2027 title challenge. His current form indicates he is far from ‘done,’ setting the stage for a high-stakes chapter at Maranello.