The outlook is "really, really good" for Lewis Hamilton fans ahead of the new Formula 1 season. That's the view of former race strategist and current Sky Sports pundit Bernie Collins ahead of what she feels is "a huge year for Ferrari" and the team's future.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton had a miserable debut year and was begging for it to end in the final weeks of the campaign. But he looks refreshed after a break and has already said he's much happier with his new Ferrari car, which he said contains some of his "DNA", having leapt at the opportunity to play a part in the design process.

And even though Hamilton still has no race engineer, having ditched Riccardo Adami after a year of disagreements and radio tension, Collins feels there is plenty for fans of the 41-year-old to be excited about.

She told Express Sport: "Since we had those aerodynamic regulations, Lewis has not done as well as he had been doing previous to that. Maybe there's something in that.

"Maybe there's something in the style of the previous car that we had that will change dramatically for this style of car. And it's crazy from the outside, whether F1 drivers are performing or not. They're all trying their best on any given weekend.

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"A regulations change can suddenly change everything. Lewis has had more time with Ferrari, he's had more time understanding, he's had more input into this car.

"It's really, really good, I think, for Lewis fans out there. It feels like he has a bit of forward momentum going into Australia."

On the other side of the garage, Hamilton's team-mate Charles Leclerc will also expect more from his new car after years of disappointment despite his loyalty to Ferrari. And Collins feels the Monegasque's eye will finally start to wander if the Scuderia fail to get things right again.

She added: "Ferrari, over the past few years, have under-delivered, given everything that we know goes into that team and some of the great people that have been at that team.

"And Charles, he's stuck with it, he's been, I guess, sold the promise of, 'it's going to come good'. And if it doesn't come good now in this big regulation change, then how long does he sit in that seat?

"For other manufacturers or cars that are out there, Charles Leclerc is a very, very strong driver. So he's going to be getting itchy feet if it doesn't come good. But he's got to be hopeful that this year does look good."

And Collins, former head of strategy at Aston Martin, is sadly not as optimistic about her former squad after a wretched pre-season.

She said of their struggles: "There's been a lot of investment from Lawrence Stroll to bring the new factory and bring everyone on board. You always knew that things like a new engine, new gearbox, is going to be tricky to bring together.

"It's going to be an uphill struggle to turn it around this year, unfortunately, and everyone's going to have to bide their time.

"But, a bit like with Leclerc, they've been biding their time for quite a few years for it to come good. And I'm sure it will - just I don't think it's going to be this year."

Sky Sports is the home of Formula 1 in the UK and Ireland. Don't miss the start of the 2026 World Championship live from Melbourne, Australia, March 6-8, on Sky Sports and NOW.