"It's about getting through Abu Dhabi and then making all the changes that are necessary after that for next year," he said before the winter break.
During the January 2026 pre-season shakedown in Barcelona, Hamilton noted immediate positive signs within the Ferrari organization following structural changes, including the appointment of his new race engineer Carlo Santi.
"It's been a really enjoyable week, honestly," said Hamilton about the initial 2026 car testing.
Hamilton credited the factory personnel for delivering a reliable car platform that allowed for consistent mileage during winter testing.
"I think a huge amount of work over the winter, on my personal side, but what the team have done over the winter to make changes going into the test," stated Hamilton.
He expressed strong confidence in the internal culture and drive of the Scuderia heading into the new competitive season.
"To see the mileage that we've been able to get the last couple of days due to just so much great work from all the people back at the factory, which I'm really grateful for because having consistency, not having problems… Of course, there's always small things, but we didn't really have any downtime moments," noted Hamilton.
The driver highlighted the shared determination across all departments of the racing team during the early stages of the year.
"We definitely have work to do to improve, like everybody does, but I think we've had great debriefs, everyone's really on it – I really feel the winning mentality in every single person in the team more than ever, so it's a positive," said Hamilton.
