Lewis Hamilton has expressed a strong conviction 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 Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by 45 points as the calendar approaches the Hungarian Grand Prix, the eleventh round of a planned twenty‑two race season.
This marks the first occasion since the contentious 2021 showdown with Max Verstappen that Hamilton finds himself back in the hunt for the title. The 41‑year‑old champion admits he is relishing the return to genuine competition. "It feels incredible," Hamilton said, reflecting on his surprisingly successful 2026 campaign after a challenging debut year with the Scuderia.
He highlighted the stark contrast with the previous season, noting how far the team has progressed. "I’m extremely proud of the crew for the leap we’ve taken together. I also have to acknowledge my own dedication, the work I’ve put in and the adjustments I’ve made that have helped us reach this point, and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved as well," he added. Hamilton cautioned, however, that there remains a substantial amount of work ahead.
"There’s still a mountain to climb in the second half of the year, but my focus has never been sharper and I truly believe we can fight for the championship," he affirmed. Despite Antonelli’s impressive form, Hamilton stressed that the Hungarian Grand Prix – the final event before the summer hiatus – is not a decisive make‑or‑break moment for his title aspirations. "We keep developing and pushing forward," he explained.
"There’s still a long road ahead. I don’t see this race or the next as a turning point; I’m not sure when a turning point might even occur. This is simply the time to keep hammering on our development and maintain the pressure." He pointed to the team’s two victories and numerous podium finishes as evidence that Ferrari is now consistently trailing Mercedes and capable of challenging for wins more regularly, which he views as a positive development. Some analysts have labeled Ferrari as the favorite at the Hungaroring, arguing that the circuit’s layout – with its abundance of slow corners – could mitigate the power‑unit deficit the team faces compared with Mercedes.
While the Scuderia has struggled to match the outright performance of the German outfit, the technical characteristics of the Budapest track might level the playing field. Nevertheless, Hamilton refuses to take anything for granted and continues to regard Mercedes as the benchmark to beat.
"I don’t want to make assumptions," he said. "In the last couple of races we should have taken the win if we had executed the weekend perfectly. The car was capable of winning.
In Spa we were more competitive than expected, but I missed something that weekend and I don’t want a repeat in Hungary." He reiterated his belief that Ferrari now possesses a car capable of competing, yet acknowledged Mercedes’ dominance: "Mercedes still have the car to beat, naturally – they’ve won the most races and won’t be easy to overcome this weekend. But we have made subtle progress and hope to contest them on Saturday." The upcoming weekend’s schedule is packed with action across the Formula ladder. 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, features F3 practice at 8:50 a.m., F2 practice at 10 a.m., Hungarian GP Practice One at 12 p.m. (session beginning at 12:30 p.m.), F3 qualifying at 1:55 p.m., F2 qualifying at 3 p.m., and Hungarian GP Practice Two at 3:45 p.m. (session starting at 4 p.m.), concluding with The F1 Show at 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 25, includes the F3 sprint at 9 a.m., Hungarian GP Practice Three at 11:15 a.m. (session starting at 11:30 a.m.), F2 sprint at 1:10 p.m., Hungarian GP qualifying build‑up at 2:15 p.m., and the official Hungarian GP qualifying at 3 p.m., followed by Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 26, rounds out the weekend with the F3 feature race at 7:35 a.m., Porsche Supercup at 9:05 a.m., F2 feature race at 10:20 a.m., Hungarian GP build‑up at 12:30 p.m., the Grand Prix itself at 2 p.m., the post‑race reaction at 4 p.m., and Ted’s Notebook at 5 p.m. All sessions will also be available on Sky Sports Main Event. Formula 1 will head straight to Budapest, with every session broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday onward. Viewers can stream Sky Sports via the NOW platform, with no long‑term contract required and the option to cancel at any time.