Lewis Hamilton insists that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be regarded as a "huge achievement" if the Scuderia manages to finish within the top three of the Drivers' Championship, urging observers to focus on the positives despite a series of recent setbacks. The seven‑time world champion, who has seen his own title hopes fade after a string of disappointing results, argued that the team’s progress should not be dismissed outright. Hamilton’s hopes of challenging for the championship have dwindled since the British Grand Prix in early July, the last occasion he stood on the podium. A race‑ending retirement in Madrid saw him drop more than 100 points behind the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, marking the first time this season that Hamilton fell out of the title fight by such a margin.
Antonelli now enjoys an 81‑point cushion over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, further widening the gap between the leading teams. When asked about his own championship prospects ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied, "He's 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he gained about 40 points, and we’ve been working hard to claw back a few points here and there. There’s still a long way to go, and my focus is on holding onto second place, or at least keeping Mercedes within striking distance in the Constructors' standings.
That would be remarkable." He continued, "We have to compare where we were last year with where we are now. It sometimes feels like doom and gloom, but you have to look at the positives." Hamilton’s comments came as Ferrari endured a winless season and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship, while his own stint in the red car has been unusually barren – he has not secured a podium this year, a first in his illustrious career.
The Scuderia did manage a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, and Charles Leclerc added a win at Silverstone two races later, providing some bright spots in an otherwise challenging year. Hamilton praised the team’s resilience, saying, "We’ve fought, we’ve secured wins and podiums, and the engineers have delivered impressive upgrades.
It’s important to acknowledge those achievements. Many people focus on the negatives, but if I can battle George and perhaps overtake him – which is tough given Mercedes’ dominance – staying in the top three, even second, would be a massive accomplishment for us." Currently, Hamilton sits 20 points behind Russell in the drivers' standings. He noted that Ferrari often shows competitive pace in qualifying and the early phases of race weekends, but operational and strategic missteps have repeatedly cost them valuable points. "There are positives to take from the recent races, but execution hasn’t been our strongest point, and the results reflect that," he said.
"We learn from our shortcomings, we improve, and I’m excited for this weekend." The Spanish Grand Prix also highlighted Russell’s struggles, as he fell further behind Antonelli, who has now claimed two consecutive victories and eight career wins in an extraordinary sophomore season. Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favourite, has spoken candidly about adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars. In Baku, he expressed optimism, stating, "I’ve made very good progress and feel confident I can fight for wins again.
It’s crucial to keep this momentum through the rest of the season as the regulations remain relatively stable into 2027." He added, "The race pace, once a weakness, has improved significantly since the summer break, and I now feel comfortable fighting for strong results. We’ll see how the points fall as the season progresses, but next year will be similar – the chassis and power units won’t change dramatically, perhaps only the tyres will differ slightly.
So I must continue to build." Although Russell has effectively ruled himself out of the championship battle, his approach to each race weekend remains unchanged. "I will keep fighting every race until it’s mathematically impossible," he affirmed.
"That doesn’t alter how I do my job – I aim to win every race, secure pole positions, and focus on performance above all else. The points deficit is there, but it’s not the primary consideration right now." The upcoming Azerbaijan weekend features a packed schedule, with F2 practice sessions, qualifying, and races interwoven with the F1 program.
The event will be streamed live on Sky Sports, offering viewers flexible access via the NOW platform. As the season heads into its final third, both Hamilton and Russell emphasize the importance of consistency, learning from past mistakes, and capitalising on any opportunity to score points.
For Hamilton, turning a season that has felt bleak into a respectable top‑three finish would be a testament to Ferrari’s resilience and the driver’s enduring competitive spirit.