Alpine F1 boss Flavio Briatore has backed Lewis Hamilton to be “fighting for wins” again next year despite a difficult first season with Ferrari.
Seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton joined Ferrari amid much fanfare after 12 years and six titles at Mercedes, but has struggled in Scuderia red.
The 40-year-old has not finished on the podium in his first 18 races for Ferrari, with his only table-topping moment coming when he won the sprint race in China back in March.
Hamilton is under contract at Ferrari until the end of next year – when new engine and chassis regulations could shake up the pecking order in the sport – and long-term rival Briatore believes the British driver will be back amongst the top contenders in 2026.
“Sooner or later, he’ll solve the problems,” Briatore told Italian radio channel Rai Radio 1.
“He’s a very good person but F1 is very complicated today, with seven cars within two tenths of a second. This year, the only truly competitive team is McLaren.
“Next year, everything will change, and we’ll [Alpine will] be fighting for the podium too. You’ll see, with the new cars, Hamilton will be back in the fight for victory. He’s always great.”
Briatore was Renault boss when Hamilton debuted in F1 in 2007 for McLaren and has been the long-term manager of one of Hamilton’s greatest rivals, Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton is currently sixth in the drivers’ championship, 48 points off teammate Charles Leclerc, and has never gone a whole season without a podium in his 18-year F1 career.
In addition, Ferrari have not gone a whole season without a race win since 2021, with Leclerc registering five podiums this year but also unable to secure a victory thus far.
Briatore, meanwhile, rejoined Alpine, the sports car brand of Renault, last year but has struggled to generate results during his 15 months in charge.
Alpine are rooted to the bottom of this year’s constructors’ championship with just 20 points, while Franco Colapinto has failed to score a point since replacing Jack Doohan as Pierre Gasly’s teammate in May.
Colapinto’s seat for 2026 is under threat, with reserve driver Paul Aron in contention to replace him. The next F1 race of the 2025 season is the United States Grand Prix (17-19 October) in Austin, Texas.
