Jenson Button Says Lewis Hamilton Has Rediscovered Himself After Difficult Ferrari Start

Former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button believes Lewis Hamilton has finally returned to his true form after a challenging beginning to life at Ferrari. Button admitted that during Hamilton’s struggles in 2025, he found it difficult to recognise the driver he had competed against and partnered with for many years.

However, after watching Hamilton’s performances improve throughout the current season, Button says he can once again see the qualities that made the seven-time world champion one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.

Hamilton has enjoyed a much stronger run of results with Ferrari in recent months and currently finds himself fighting near the front of the championship standings. Although the Hungarian Grand Prix was not the perfect weekend for either Hamilton or Ferrari, Button believes the Briton’s mindset and confidence around the paddock have changed dramatically compared with the same race one year earlier.

During the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton appeared frustrated and openly questioned Ferrari’s performance, even suggesting that the team needed to consider replacing him after a difficult period. Twelve months later, the atmosphere surrounding the driver has become much more positive, with Hamilton appearing more comfortable and competitive behind the wheel of the Ferrari.

Button highlighted that difference, explaining that the Hamilton seen this year looks far closer to the driver fans and rivals have known throughout his career.

Button Believes Hamilton Has Found His Confidence Again

Speaking in an interview with Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, Button was asked whether he believed Hamilton still had a realistic chance of challenging for another world championship.

The 2009 Formula 1 champion explained that Hamilton has repeatedly shown throughout his career that he can overcome difficult situations and fight back when people begin to doubt him.

“If there is one driver who has made us believe in those kinds of comebacks, it is Lewis Hamilton,” Button said.

He admitted that Hamilton’s struggles in 2025 surprised him because they did not resemble the driver he had watched for so long.

“I was really surprised to see him struggling because I found it difficult to recognise him,” Button explained.

Having raced against Hamilton as a rival and shared three seasons together as teammates at McLaren, Button said he understands the level of performance Hamilton is capable of producing.

“I have followed him closely for a long time, both as an opponent and as a teammate, and I know what he can do,” Button added.

According to Button, the biggest difference came when Hamilton began the current season with Ferrari and looked much more like the driver fans expected.

“When I saw him start this year, I realised the Hamilton we all knew was back,” Button said.

The former champion believes Hamilton has also managed to establish himself within Ferrari’s structure, something that is particularly challenging given the presence of Charles Leclerc.

Adapting to Ferrari Has Been a Major Challenge

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was one of the biggest stories in Formula 1, but joining the famous Italian team came with enormous pressure.

Unlike Mercedes, where Hamilton spent more than a decade and built a dominant partnership, Ferrari represented a completely new environment. The team already had a strong identity, and Leclerc had spent years developing his relationship with engineers and understanding the car.

Button believes Hamilton’s ability to find his place inside the team has been one of the most impressive aspects of his recovery.

“I think he has finally found his voice within the team,” Button said.

“That is not easy when you are alongside Leclerc, who knows Ferrari extremely well and has been there for many years.”

Leclerc has long been considered Ferrari’s leading figure and has developed a deep understanding of the team’s internal systems. For Hamilton, earning influence and trust within the organisation required patience and adaptation.

The early months of the partnership between Hamilton and Ferrari were complicated, with the younger Leclerc often appearing more comfortable with the machinery. But Button believes Hamilton has now adjusted and regained the confidence needed to compete at the highest level.

Hamilton and Leclerc’s Ferrari Battle Remains Extremely Close

After the opening rounds of the season, the internal Ferrari battle between Hamilton and Leclerc remains highly competitive.

The two drivers have produced different strengths throughout the year. Leclerc has generally held the advantage during qualifying sessions, showing impressive one-lap speed and his ability to extract maximum performance from the car over a single lap.

However, Hamilton has been stronger when it comes to race performance, tyre management, and converting opportunities into valuable championship points.

This represents a major change from their dynamic during the previous season.

In 2025, Hamilton struggled to match Leclerc’s pace consistently and was often overshadowed by his younger teammate. During that campaign, Hamilton managed to finish ahead of Leclerc in a Grand Prix only a handful of times, highlighting how difficult his first season with Ferrari had become.

The contrast between then and now has been one of the biggest talking points in Formula 1.

Hamilton Still Has Championship Ambitions

Despite Ferrari’s inconsistent performances and the strength of their rivals, Hamilton remains firmly involved in the championship fight.

At the summer break, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leads the standings, with Hamilton sitting 50 points behind. While that gap is significant, Button believes Hamilton’s experience means he cannot be ruled out.

The former world champion pointed to Hamilton’s history of overcoming difficult situations as evidence that a title challenge is still possible.

Throughout his career, Hamilton has repeatedly produced strong second halves of seasons, especially when pressure has been at its highest. His ability to maintain focus and improve as the year progresses has been one of the defining characteristics of his career.

Button suggested that the current version of Hamilton is much closer to the driver who won seven world championships rather than the struggling figure seen during Ferrari’s difficult 2025 campaign.

A New Chapter for Hamilton at Ferrari

Hamilton’s Ferrari journey has not been simple, but recent performances suggest that the British driver may finally have found stability at Maranello.

The move to Ferrari was always expected to involve challenges, from adapting to new systems to working alongside one of the fastest teammates on the grid. However, Button believes Hamilton has now overcome those obstacles and rediscovered the confidence that made him one of Formula 1’s greatest competitors.

For fans and observers, the biggest question is whether this resurgence can continue long enough for Hamilton to challenge for an unprecedented eighth world championship.

If Button’s assessment is correct, the world may once again be seeing the return of the Lewis Hamilton who has repeatedly defied expectations throughout his legendary career.