P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton endured a highly challenging season at Ferrari this year following his arrival from Mercedes.
Ex-F1 strategist Bernie Collins believes Lewis Hamilton would have been wiser to remain with Mercedes rather than switch to Ferrari if he was focused on opportunities for the 2026 season. Hamilton struggled in his first season with Ferrari, failing to achieve any podium finishes for the first time in his career. Hamilton is pinning his hopes on the 2026 regulation reset benefiting him as teams start afresh. However, there are whispers in the paddock that Mercedes’ power unit may outshine the competition, leading Collins to suggest that Hamilton might have been better off staying at Mercedes. Despite the lack of success so far, Collins understands Hamilton’s allure to join Ferrari, attributing it to the childhood dream of driving for the legendary red team. Ultimately, Collins speculates that if Hamilton was looking towards 2026, staying at Mercedes could have positioned him more advantageously.
