Source:REUTERS/Go Nakamura
[Saba Sports News] After a fiercely contested Chinese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton gave a high appraisal of the new rules for the 2026 season: they delivered the best racing experience of his career. His comments came after a nearly wheel-to-wheel battle with teammate Charles Leclerc. During the race, Hamilton, Leclerc and George Russell tangled in a three-car fight while Andrea Kimi Antonelli gradually opened up a gap up front. After Russell completed an overtake, the contest became a direct duel between the two Ferrari drivers. They swapped positions multiple times, exchanging attacks and defenses at the limit. In the end, Hamilton was lucky to prevail, taking his first podium since joining Ferrari and extending his career podium total to 203. After the race, Hamilton said the new-generation cars have clearly improved their following performance, allowing drivers to race closer together without losing so much downforce to wake as before — the give-and-take felt like karting, very pure. He believes that as long as races continue to feature such close-quarters battles, that will be a positive sign for both drivers and fans.
The editor notes that under the new rules the power-unit architecture has changed, with electric and internal-combustion output approaching an even split and battery harvesting and deployment becoming key to races, making strategy more complex. This system raises the demands on drivers, who must learn in competition how to manage energy and pick their moments.