Lewis Hamilton pays a visit to Mercedes after Ferrari testing troubles

Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton paid his old Mercedes team a visit during pre-season testing in Bahrain this week.

Hamilton is entering his second season as a Ferrari driver in 2026, during a year in which wholesale new regulation changes are sweeping into the sport.

Because of this new era, Hamilton and the other 21 drivers are being given triple the amount of testing time, with teams using the nine days on offer to try and iron out any issues with the new regulations that they might have.

And it was during pre-season testing in Bahrain earlier this week that Hamilton slammed the new regulations, stating that a 'degree' was needed in order to be able to fully understand them.

On top of this, Hamilton also said that he had the 'lowest grip' he had ever had around the Bahrain International Circuit, in a pretty damning analysis of his SF-26.

Hamilton did have an improved day on the final day of the test, with some real pace being shown by he and Ferrari.

And during the week, Hamilton was spotted in the Mercedes hospitality suite, talking to his old team at the circuit. The Brit raced with Mercedes between 2013-2024, claiming six drivers' titles in that time.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton admits 20-year F1 low after testing new Ferrari in Bahrain

Can Hamilton get back into championship contention in 2026?

Following a dismal 2025 season with Ferrari in which he was not even able to claim a single grand prix podium, Hamilton will be hoping that Ferrari can master the new regulations and give him a car capable of challenging for a 106th grand prix victory.

His ultimate aim is to win a record eighth world title, but Hamilton will need to sort his own driver performance out if he is to have a chance of beating team-mate Charles Leclerc, even if Ferrari do have a dominant car.

Hamilton suffered his heaviest ever team-mate defeat in 2025, finishing 86 points behind Leclerc, who claimed seven podiums in the same car in which Hamilton struggled.

The 41-year-old will be hoping that these new cars are more suited to his talents than the previous generation of cars, in which he only claimed two grand prix victories across four full seasons.

F1 2026: Which driver contracts expire this year?

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