Lewis Hamilton has expressed a strong conviction that his partnership with Ferrari gives him a realistic chance to chase an eighth World Championship title this season. Currently sitting second in the drivers' standings, Hamilton trails Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by 45 points as the calendar heads into the Hungarian Grand Prix, the eleventh round of a planned twenty-two‑race campaign. This marks the first occasion since the contentious finale of the 2021 season, when Max Verstappen edged him out, that Hamilton finds himself genuinely in the hunt for the title.
At 41, the British champion says he relishes being back in the mix and feels a renewed sense of purpose. "It’s amazing," Hamilton said, reflecting on his surprisingly strong 2026 season after a challenging debut year with the Scuderia. "The feeling is fantastic, especially when you compare it with where we were just last year at this same circuit." He added a note of personal pride, acknowledging both the collective effort of the Ferrari team and his own contributions. "I’m really proud of the team for the progress we’ve made together, and I have to recognise the work I’ve put in, the adjustments I’ve made and the dedication that’s brought us to this point.
I’m proud of myself for that as well." Hamilton did, however, caution that the battle is far from over. "There’s still a lot of work to do and a mountain to climb in the second half of the season, but I’m more focused than ever and I truly believe we can fight for the championship," he affirmed. Despite Antonelli’s impressive form, Hamilton insists that the Hungarian Grand Prix – the final event before the summer hiatus – will not be a make‑or‑break moment for his title aspirations.
"We are continuing to develop, we are continuing to push," he said. "There’s still a long way to go.
I don’t see this race or the next one as a decisive breakpoint. I don’t even know when a breakpoint might occur, if it ever does." He emphasized the need for relentless development: "This is the time for us to keep hammering away, double‑down on our upgrades and keep pushing forward. We’ve already secured two wins as a team and collected plenty of podiums.
We’re right on Mercedes’ heels, and I think we can now contest victories more consistently, which is a positive sign." Ferrari has been tipped by some pundits as a potential favourite at the Hungaroring because the circuit’s layout – with its abundance of slow‑speed corners – could play to the strengths of the Italian car. While the Scuderia has struggled to match the outright power of Mercedes’ power unit throughout the season, the technical characteristics of Budapest may reduce that disadvantage, allowing the Ferrari to stay competitive. Nevertheless, Hamilton refuses to take anything for granted and continues to view Mercedes as the benchmark. "I don’t want to make assumptions," he remarked.
"In the last couple of races we should have won if we had executed perfectly. The car was capable of winning.
In Spa we were more competitive than we realised, and I missed an opportunity that weekend – that’s not the approach I want to repeat here." He continued, "We have a car that can compete. Mercedes still have the car to beat, naturally, as they have the most wins and won’t be easy to overcome this weekend. But we have made subtle progress and hope to challenge them this weekend." The upcoming weekend’s schedule is packed with action across multiple categories. On Thursday, July 23, the drivers’ press conference will start at 2 p.m., followed by the Paddock Uncut at 5 p.m.
Friday, July 24, will feature F3 practice at 8:50 a.m., F2 practice at 10 a.m., and the first Hungarian GP practice session beginning at 12:30 p.m. (official start 12:00 p.m.).
Later that day, F3 qualifying will run at 1:55 p.m., F2 qualifying at 3 p.m., and the second GP practice session will commence at 4 p.m., with the F1 Show at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, July 25, sees the F3 sprint at 9 a.m., the third GP practice session at 11:30 a.m., the F2 sprint at 1:10 p.m., and the crucial Hungarian GP qualifying session at 3 p.m., followed by Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 26, will deliver a full day of racing: F3 feature race at 7:35 a.m., Porsche Supercup at 9:05 a.m., F2 feature race at 10:20 a.m., the Grand Prix build‑up at 12:30 p.m., the Hungarian Grand Prix itself at 2 p.m., post‑race reaction at 4 p.m., and another edition of Ted’s Notebook at 5 p.m. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW – a contract‑free service that can be cancelled at any time. Fans can also stay updated through Sky Sports on WhatsApp and enjoy additional content such as head‑to‑head team scores and exclusive video highlights. In summary, Hamilton’s message to his rivals is clear: he believes Ferrari has the package to mount a serious title challenge, he is proud of the progress made, and he is determined to keep improving.
While the Hungarian Grand Prix is an important milestone, he views it as part of a longer marathon rather than a single decisive battle. The next few weeks will test the team’s development pace, strategic execution and mental resilience, and the outcome will shape the narrative of the championship fight as it moves into the crucial second half of the season.