Lewis Hamilton has voiced a strong belief that his partnership with Ferrari gives him a genuine chance to vie for an eighth world championship this season. Currently sitting second in the drivers' standings, Hamilton trails the leading Mercedes driver, Kimi Antonelli, by 45 points as the calendar heads into the Hungarian Grand Prix – the eleventh round of a twenty‑two race schedule. This marks the first occasion since the contentious 2021 finale, when Max Verstappen edged him out, that Hamilton finds himself back in the championship hunt.
The 41‑year‑old former seven‑time champion says he is thoroughly enjoying the renewed competition. "It feels incredible," Hamilton remarked, reflecting on a 2026 campaign that has already shown signs of recovery after a challenging debut year with the Scuderia.
"The contrast with where we were just a season ago is striking." He went on to praise the collective effort of the Ferrari team, acknowledging his own contributions and the adjustments he has made to help the squad reach its current position. "I’m extremely proud of the team for the progress we’ve made together, and I also have to recognise the hard work I’ve put in and the changes I’ve embraced to get us here. I’m proud of myself as well." Hamilton admitted that the second half of the season still presents a "mountain to climb," but affirmed that his focus has never been sharper and that he truly believes the team can fight for victories.
"There’s still a lot of work ahead, but I’m more focused than ever and I really think we can contend for wins," he said. Despite Antonelli’s impressive form, Hamilton cautioned against treating the Hungarian Grand Prix – the final race before the summer hiatus – as a make‑or‑break moment for his title aspirations.
"We continue to develop and push forward," he explained. "There’s a long road ahead. I don’t see this race or the next as a decisive turning point; I don’t even know when a turning point might occur, if there is one." He emphasized the need to keep hammering on development work and to maintain pressure on rivals.
"We’ve already secured two wins as a team and collected numerous podiums. We’re right on Mercedes’ tail and now have the consistency to challenge them for victories, which is a positive sign." Ferrari has been tipped by some analysts as a favourite at the Hungaroring, largely because the circuit’s layout – with a high proportion of slow corners – could mitigate the power deficit the Italian marque still experiences compared to Mercedes’ power unit. Theoretically, the car’s handling strengths should shine in Budapest’s twisty sections, offering Ferrari a potential advantage. Nevertheless, Hamilton remains cautious and refuses to take anything for granted, insisting that Mercedes remains the benchmark to beat.
"I don’t want to make assumptions," he said. "In the last couple of races we should have taken the wins if we had executed perfectly.
The car was capable of winning." He reflected on the Spa‑Francorchamps round, noting that Ferrari was more competitive than expected but that a missed opportunity cost them. "In Spa we were more competitive than we thought, and I missed something that weekend – that’s not the approach I want to take in Hungary." Hamilton reiterated his confidence in Ferrari’s ability to compete, while acknowledging Mercedes’ dominance.
"We have a car that can fight. Mercedes still has the car to beat, naturally, as they have the most wins and won’t be easy to overcome this weekend.
But we’ve made subtle progress and hope to challenge them on Saturday." The upcoming Hungarian weekend is packed with action. Thursday, July 23, will feature a drivers’ press conference at 2 p.m., followed by the Paddock Uncut at 5 p.m. Friday, July 24, starts with Formula 3 practice at 8:50 a.m., then Formula 2 practice at 10 a.m., and the first Hungarian GP practice session at 12:30 p.m. Qualifying sessions for F3 and F2 follow, with the main F1 show at 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 25, includes the F3 sprint at 9 a.m., the third GP practice at 11:30 a.m., the F2 sprint at 1:10 p.m., and the crucial Hungarian GP qualifying at 3 p.m., leading into the final qualifying notebook at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 26, will see the F3 feature race at 7:35 a.m., the Porsche Supercup at 9:05 a.m., the F2 feature race at 10:20 a.m., and the main Grand Prix build‑up at 12:30 p.m.
The Hungarian Grand Prix itself starts at 2 p.m., followed by the post‑race reaction and the final 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. Hamilton’s message to his rivals is clear: Ferrari is back in the mix, the team is improving step by step, and while Mercedes remains the benchmark, the fight for the championship is far from over.