Hamilton's Revitalized Performance Sparks Title Hopes

Former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell believes Lewis Hamilton has regained his competitive edge this season. Hamilton recently ended a 16-month podium drought with a third-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix, his first top-three finish since joining Ferrari in 2025. The 41-year-old has also been more competitive with his teammate Charles Leclerc, having struggled with the previous generation of F1 cars. The new regulations seem to favor Hamilton's driving style, and Mansell thinks the seven-time world champion could win a race this season. "Lewis is fired up again, and it's fantastic to see him doing so well," Mansell told Sky Sports News. Hamilton credits his improved performance to better preparation and the new car, which he says suits his driving style. He had limited input on last year's car, which was an evolution of the previous year's model, but was able to work with the engineers to incorporate changes he wanted for this year's car. Mansell, who won the world championship in 1992, believes the key to success is focus and experience. With Mercedes currently leading the pack, the championship could become a two-horse race between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Mansell thinks Russell needs to use his experience to win the intra-team battle and become world champion.