Lewis Hamilton credited his Chinese GP podium to the overwhelming fan support in Shanghai, which he believes gave him a boost in confidence similar to previous years. Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda, in the post-race press conference, the Ferrari driver admitted that returning to the podium after such a significant gap was a challenge to overcome.
Starting third on the grid, Hamilton finished third at the Shanghai International Circuit, securing his first podium since the 2024 Las Vegas GP, where he finished second. The Briton had last stood on the podium earlier last season after winning the sprint race in China with Ferrari. However, the seven-time world champion has endured two difficult years. In his final season with Mercedes, he was beaten by George Russell, and he was also outscored by Charles Leclerc during his first season at Ferrari. The 2025 season with Ferrari was notably his first campaign in his 20-year career without a race win or a podium finish.
Lewis Hamilton credited the Shanghai crowd for motivating him throughout the race. He noted that every time he overtook a car, the roar from the grandstands was clearly audible. The Briton thanked his passionate supporters and believes the result has boosted his confidence and given him renewed mental momentum heading into the rest of the season.
Asked by Sportskeeda if the podium in China was a confidence booster for the season ahead, Lewis Hamilton said:
“I think I came into the season with the confidence that I’ve used to have, and I think I’ve stuck at it. And I would say in combination with things like this is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen here in Shanghai. When we were doing the drivers’ parade, we went up to Turn 11, 12, and that grandstand has been closed for, I think, almost 20 years, and it was amazing. I was so shocked to see it completely full. So, I really have to say a huge thank you to everyone here in Shanghai that came out to support our sport. And then Team LH China are unbelievable. They’re just the sweetest and most incredible supporters. My mum got to see it this weekend, which I think was really cool for her to witness the sincerity and the amazing support. So, they lift me up.”
“And yeah, definitely this result — I’ve been pushing for a podium. 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. I think coming into the season I really cultivated that really positive mental attitude and I’m taking that forward with me.”
Lewis Hamilton suggests a podium result indicates he’s back to his competitive form
Lewis Hamilton believes that the result at the 2026 Chinese GP has proven that he is back to his competitive best. He said the performance served as motivation and a confirmation of his competitive level, both physically and mentally. The Briton revealed that he had trained very hard over the winter break to prepare for the new season.
Praising Ferrari as a team and the morale within the squad, the British champion expressed gratitude to the engineers for developing the car based on his inputs. He also believes there is still more performance to extract from the package and is confident that he can unlock further potential from the car as the season progresses.
Asked if he had returned to his best and if the result was motivating enough to pursue his eighth title, Lewis Hamilton said:
“I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically, yes. 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. But I’ve managed to pull these new tools together. I’ve got a great trainer that I’ve been working with in the past, but we worked together since Christmas Day. Then the time at the factory, obviously new engineer, and that’s obviously been a real good boost as well. Great morale within the team. And as I said, I just decided on Christmas Day how I was going to start this season.”
“I decided what I was going to do mentally and I’m going to continue to tweak that. 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, particularly with deployment and that. Then on the backside, mid to end of last year, digging deep with the engineers and talking to them about the things that I wanted from a car that I didn’t have any part of developing last year, to then develop the car with them this year and to see them listen and put some of those things that I’d asked for on the car, I’m incredibly grateful to them for listening on that side of things. It just makes you feel more united with everyone because you’re moving in the same direction. So, I’m looking forward to getting back next week to Maranello and seeing everybody. Yeah, big, big push.”
Lewis Hamilton appears to have a more competitive Ferrari in the 2026 season, allowing him to drive in a more natural style. The Briton’s unique approach of late braking did not suit the ground-effect era cars, often forcing him to adjust his driving style or rely on the car being tailored more closely to his preferences.
With Ferrari emerging as the only team currently competitive enough to challenge Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton now has the opportunity to unleash his most competitive form with renewed confidence in both the car and the team. In contrast to the dejected mood he often expressed during 2025, the seven-time world champion appears to have rediscovered his motivation, something that could soon translate into stronger performances on track.
Edited by Mitali
