Hamilton's Revival: Mansell Sees a Rejuvenated Champion

Former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell believes Lewis Hamilton has regained his competitive edge this season. Hamilton recently ended a 16-month drought without a podium finish, coming in third at the Chinese Grand Prix, his first top-three finish since joining Ferrari in 2025. The 41-year-old has also shown significant improvement in pace compared to his teammate Charles Leclerc. Mansell attributes Hamilton's resurgence to the new regulations, which seem to favor his driving style, and doesn't rule out the possibility of Hamilton winning a race this season. Hamilton himself feels he has prepared better physically and mentally, contributing to his return to form. He had struggled with the previous generation of F1 cars but now feels more at home with the new Ferrari. The British driver had pushed for changes in the car's design, which have been incorporated into this year's model. Mansell, who had intense title battles in the 1980s, thinks this year's championship could become a two-horse race between Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. He advises Russell to use his experience and maintain focus to win the intra-team battle.