Formula 1 is facing a huge upheaval—Williams driver Alex Albon sees a clear favorite in the new era—he’s putting all his eggs in Lewis Hamilton’s basket
When Formula 1 enters a completely new era in 2026, all eyes will be on the new engine regulations and the more compact cars. But who will benefit from the new generation of vehicles? According to Williams driver Alex Albon, the favorite is already clear: Lewis Hamilton.
According to Albon, the seven-time world champion, who will be racing for Ferrari from 2025, will benefit massively from the technological turnaround in the premier class. The core of the 2026 rules—an almost 50:50 split between combustion and electric power, as well as smaller, lighter cars—seems tailor-made for the Brit’s driving style.
Albon’s clear tendency: “He takes the corners short”
On the Williams podcast Team Torque, Albon initially kept his cards close to his chest, but then came out with his prediction: “I have someone in mind. I don’t think I should say it out loud, but I have my favorite,” he says.
When asked who will master the new regulations best, he was adamant: “I think it’s Lewis. Mainly because of the lighter cars. I think his style suits these cars a little better.”
Albon goes into detail and analyzes Hamilton’s technique: “He takes the corners very short. He doesn’t focus so much on the corner exits—and I don’t think that’s the worst thing with these cars.” While other drivers rely on a clean corner exit, Hamilton’s aggressive way of throwing the car into the corner could become a decisive advantage.
Hamilton and the SF-26
With the future of 2026 playing in the background, Hamilton was in the midst of preparing for his second season in red. After the first block of testing in Bahrain, the record champion drew an optimistic conclusion.
After 149 laps in the Ferrari SF-26, Hamilton was positive in an official statement: “Overall, it was a constructive week. We completed our entire program, which helped us enormously in collecting data and better understanding the car.“
The challenge: finding the right window
Despite the good foundation, Hamilton warns of the complexity of the new generation of cars. ”The SF-26 feels good overall, but these cars are complicated. Finding the right working range—especially with the tires—is key,“ he explains.
”We made some good discoveries, but we also identified areas where we still need to improve.” The 2026 Formula 1 season officially kicks off on March 8 at Albert Park in Australia.