The 41-year-old had a disastrous first season at Ferrari last year, not claiming a single grand prix podium and finishing 86 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, his largest ever team-mate defeat.
Hamilton has been beaten by his team-mate in three of the last four seasons, but there is hope the Brit can have a comeback in 2026, with new regulations sweeping into the sport that will see him driving a completely new generation of cars.
the ground effect era, Hamilton only claimed two grand prix victories across four full seasons, a measly return for a driver who has 105 career race wins in F1.
The positivity surrounding Hamilton heading into 2026 has also been because of Ferrari’s 2026 pre-season testing performance, with the Maranello outfit’s SF-26 looking both reliable and fast, with Leclerc putting in the fastest time of the whole two weeks on the final day in Bahrain.
But now, Buxton has suggested fans of Hamilton should also be wary that a poor season could spell ‘the beginning of the end’ for the 41-year-old, that is, if it hasn’t happened already.
Lewis Hamilton and F1’s new 2026 regulations
Buxton believes Hamilton and some of the older drivers have been waiting for this regulation reset to hit the sport, even though it could be make or break for them.
The last set of regulations did not play to drivers of a certain generation,” Buxton said during the Up To Speed podcast.
“You look at Lewis, Fernando [Alonso]. I look at a Daniel Ricciardo or a Valtteri Bottas or a Sergio Perez, who, similar generation, pretty much exactly the same generation as a Lewis and a Fernando, certainly a Lewis, who did not get on with those regulations.
“And ultimately, it called an end to certainly to Daniel’s career and did irreparable damage to Checo’s career. But they were all hanging out for these new regulations, all hoping that when they changed towards a seemingly lighter, looser car, it would play to their strengths, rig
So, it’s no wonder that they are being very open with their feelings towards this because this was their chance, right? This was their opportunity to get back to a style of car and a style of racing that they loved, that would show the Lewis Hamilton that won seven titles, right?
“Because Lewis didn’t forget how to drive between ’21 and ’22. What changed was the car. I don’t believe what changed was the driver. But if they don’t get cars back this year that play to their strengths, is it the beginning of the end or was the beginning of the end ’22? It’s going to be fascinating to see that.”