Lewis Hamilton maintains that Ferrari’s campaign can still be hailed as a "significant achievement" provided the team finishes within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. He urges detractors to focus on the bright spots of the year rather than the recent disappointments. The prospect of Hamilton and Ferrari clinching the world title has all but vanished after a string of lackluster results. The seven‑time champion has not stood on a podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and his hopes of challenging for the championship have dwindled.
A further blow came in Madrid, where Hamilton suffered his first retirement of the season. The setback dropped him more than 100 points behind the points leader, Kimi Antonelli, marking the first time this year that the gap between them exceeded a century of points.
Antonelli now enjoys an 81‑point lead over his Mercedes teammate, George Russell. When asked about his own title chances ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton responded candidly: "He’s 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he scooped up around 40 points, and we’ve been grinding for a few points here and there.
There’s still a long way to go. My focus is to hold onto second place, or at least keep Mercedes in the fight for the constructors' title. That would be remarkable." Hamilton also reflected on the broader picture, saying, "We have to compare where we were last year with where we are now.
It can feel bleak, but you have to look at the positives. Ferrari endured a winless 2025 season and slipped to fourth in the constructors' standings.
This year we’ve secured a win at the Spanish Grand Prix and Charles Leclerc triumphed at Silverstone. Those victories prove the team can still deliver when the car is right." He continued, "The team has worked tirelessly on upgrades, and we’ve earned wins and podiums. Many people highlight the negatives, but if I can out‑fight George and maybe even surpass him – which is tough because Mercedes are leading – staying in the top three, even second, would be a massive achievement for us." At present Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points in the drivers' table.
While Ferrari often shows speed in practice and qualifying, strategic blunders and operational missteps have hampered their race results. "There are positives to take from the last few races, but execution hasn’t been the best and the outcomes reflect that," Hamilton admitted.
"We’ll learn from the areas where we fell short, make improvements, and I’m excited for this weekend." Russell, who entered the season as a pre‑season favourite, has also faced challenges adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars. Nonetheless, he reported progress in Baku, stating, "I’ve been making very good progress and feel confident I can fight for victories again." He emphasized the need to maintain this momentum through the remainder of the season and into the relatively stable regulatory environment expected for 2027.
"Resolving the issues we identified after the summer break has been crucial. The race pace, once a weakness, is now competitive, and I feel comfortable fighting for strong results," he said. Russell also made it clear that, despite being effectively out of title contention, his approach to each weekend remains unchanged: "I’ll keep fighting every race until it’s mathematically impossible. My goal is to win every race and start from pole whenever I can.
The performance gap is large, but it’s not the primary focus right now; improving the car’s performance is." The upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend is packed with activity. On Thursday, September 24, the schedule includes F2 practice sessions, qualifying, and a team bosses' press conference, followed by the first F1 practice later in the day. Friday, September 25, features the F2 sprint, a third F1 practice, the F2 Feature Race 1, and the crucial F1 qualifying session.
Saturday, September 26, sees the F2 Feature Race 2, the Grand Prix itself, and post‑race analysis, while Sunday offers a build‑up to the race and a live reaction segment. All of this will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming available via NOW without a contract and the option to cancel at any time.
The triple‑header format – with races in Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Singapore – is set to shape the narrative of the 2026 championship as teams battle for points in the final third of the season. In summary, Hamilton’s message is one of cautious optimism. He acknowledges the setbacks, but he also highlights the progress Ferrari has made, the wins secured, and the upgrades introduced.
For Russell, the focus is on continual improvement and fighting for race victories despite the points deficit. Both drivers understand that the remaining races will be decisive, and they intend to extract every ounce of performance from their machines as the championship draws toward its climax.