Lewis Hamilton’s new-year letter reads like a rallying cry after a tough Ferrari year

Lewis Hamilton has sent an open letter to fans through his non-alcoholic agave spirits brand Almave, as the Ferrari driver enters the new year with optimism. 

The past 12 months have been difficult for the seven-time Formula 1 world champion with his first season in the Italian outfit not shaping up to his expectations. But 2026 brings a new wave of regulations - regulations that Ferrari seeks to capitalise on.

"Looking back brings the future into focus," the Briton wrote. "This year reminded me how essential it is to pause, reflect, and build on the defining milestones to guide what comes next.

"At Almave, our community has grown in ways I never expected. From making waves at Coachella, to making headlines at Cinco, and making room for a new addition to the Almave product line. It’s incredible to see how Almave resonates across so many people, places, and cultures.

"One Almave accomplishment I’m extremely proud of is introducing Humo, a groundbreaking non-alcoholic smoky spirit. Sharing that with you has been one of the defining milestones of the year.

"For 2026, I’m thinking about joy, passion, and curiosity — the forces that propel us forward at Almave, that strengthen our community, shape our rituals, and give the future momentum. Those are the things that fill my cup.

"Here’s to the path ahead."

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

While the letter is framed around the growth of his brand, the wording still works after a tricky 2025 season. But 2026 is a fresh new start for the driver, meaning that, for Hamilton, it's an opportunity to put his difficulties behind him while building on what he and the team have learnt to go into 2026 with momentum. 

It's no secret that the 41-year-old has been disappointed with the processes in place at Ferrari. This is an improvement he was aggressively targeting throughout last year, but something that has so far failed to yield meaningful results.

“It's just how we execute the session. It's how we communicate, it's the calm approach, it's the timing that we go out, it's the temperature of our tyres, all those sorts of things. We just executed it much better altogether," he said late last year. 

Fans of the driver will be hoping he can hit the ground running at the beginning of this season.