‘I’m back to my best’: Lewis Hamilton marks Ferrari revival with Chinese GP podium place

Lewis Hamilton believes ‘there is more to come’ after ending his wait for a Ferrari podium spot by finishing third in Shanghai

Lewis Hamilton said he is “back to his best” after he finished third at the Chinese Grand Prix to claim his first podium at Ferrari.

The 41-year-old Briton beat his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after a thrilling duel and praised Formula One for delivering what he claimed was the best racing he had ever experienced.

The race in Shanghai was won by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, his first F1 victory, from his teammate George Russell in second. But Hamilton delivered a feisty performance in an almost race-long scrap with Leclerc to take third, his first podium since the Las Vegas GP in November 2024.

“I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically,” Hamilton said. “I still think there’s room to improve. Training this winter has been the heaviest and the most intense that I’ve ever had, and that probably comes hand in hand with being older. It takes longer to recover.”

“It’s the hardest thing just to get a podium compared to a lot through my career, and it was the biggest challenge to get that and I just had to bide my time. Coming into the season I really cultivated that really positive mental attitude and I’m taking that forward with me.”

The moment was all the more significant after Hamilton had struggled so hard during his debut season with Ferrari last year. The car was off the pace and the seven-time world champion was also having to adapt to his new team. With a series of poor results and some of the worst qualifying sessions of his career he bemoaned it as a “nightmare” season and by its close appeared adrift and disconsolate.

A major reset occurred during the winter and it has paid off, with Hamilton showing the verve and pace of old, alongside Ferrari having a car that is far more competitive and better suited to Hamilton’s driving style.

“I started this voyage and this dream of moving to Ferrari and being on the top step with them, and this podium has taken longer than I had hoped,” he added. “After a difficult year, to be able to be a part of developing with them, working with them over the past year, gives me huge pride.

“I do think there’s more to come. I think I can still eke out more performance from this car. I’m still learning about it as I go.”

The British driver also weighed in on the controversial debate about the new regulations. The four-time champion Max Verstappen, who had to retire from the race in China with an energy recovery system cooling issue, had delivered a vituperative broadside after the race.

“It’s terrible. If someone likes this, then you really don’t know what racing is like,” said Verstappen. “Not fun at all. Playing Mario Kart. This is not racing and I would say the same if I [were] winning races, because I care about the racing product. It’s not about being upset with where I am.

“I don’t think it’s what the real F1 fans like,” Verstappen added. “Maybe some fans like it but they don’t understand racing. Hopefully we can get rid of this as soon as possible.”

In stark contrast, Hamilton believes the new formula is working well. Fans in Shanghai appeared to agree, given their enthusiastic response to the race.

“I think it’s the best racing I’ve ever experienced in Formula One,” he said. “The cars are easier to follow, much better than past years. You can get very close, there’s not a bad wake where you’re losing too much downforce.

“Hopefully it was an exciting race to watch because it was awesome in the car. It felt like go-karting, back and forth and you could really position your car in a nice way where there was a thin piece of paper between us sometimes.”