With Lewis Hamilton revealing he will soon call for Ferrari to place full attention of F1 2026, the team has been urged to create a car “completely focused” on Lewis Hamilton’s “wishes.”

That call comes from seven-time grand prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya, who believes a Ferrari car guided by Lewis Hamilton in its design can win championships, but if led by Leclerc could limit the team’s potential to occasional wins.

Ferrari design led by Lewis Hamilton key to title glory?

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

After pushing McLaren to a 2024 Constructors’ title decider in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari were expected to remain in championship contention for F1 2025 as seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton arrived from Mercedes.

However, that door already appears to have closed for Ferrari, who are 197 points behind runaway leaders McLaren after nine rounds, while the highest-ranked Ferrari in the Drivers’ standings, Leclerc, is 92 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.

Hamilton sits a further 23 points back from Leclerc and at the Spanish Grand Prix told media including PlanetF1.com that he soon will be urging Ferrari to put all their eggs in the F1 2026 basket.

Opportunity knocks in a major way next season with new chassis and engine regulations coming effect, carrying the potential to shake-up the pecking order.

Hamilton said: “We’ll keep pushing with what we have, but before too soon, I will just be saying, ‘Let’s focus on next year.’

“So we’re building a foundation this year, learning about the tools, the structures, our processes, and just nailing those, so then when we arrive next year, we will be with the car that we really want.”

And while it is Leclerc currently performing the stronger out of the two Ferrari drivers, Montoya believes that Hamilton should be the undivided focus of the 2026 Ferrari.

More on F1 2026 from PlanetF1.com

👉 F1 2025 v F1 2026: Nine key questions ahead of huge regulation changes

👉 F1 2026: Confirmed teams and power unit suppliers for F1’s huge regulation changes

Leclerc has scored all three of Ferrari’s podiums so far this season, and is an eight-time grand prix winner overall with the team, but Montoya bluntly suggested that if Ferrari want to aim higher then they must let Hamilton solely guide the development of their 2026 car.

Ferrari has not tasted F1 title glory since their 2008 Constructors’ Championship win, while Kimi Raikkonen is their most recent Drivers’ Champion, having claimed his only title in 2007.

“I personally think the basis of the car now should be completely focused on Hamilton’s wishes, rather than Leclerc’s,” Montoya told W Radio Colombia.

“In any case, that is the wisest thing to do if they want a competitive car next year.

“Cars based on Leclerc’s preferences may be able to win a race or two in a year, but a world title will not be in it.

“Under Hamilton’s leadership, Ferrari will quickly find more pace, because he always knows exactly what a car needs.”

Hamilton is chasing the eighth World Championship which would see him set the record outright ahead of Ferrari icon Michael Schumacher, that goal following Hamilton from Mercedes to Maranello.

Read next: Lewis Hamilton ‘waste of money’ claim triggers firm Guenther Steiner response