Lewis Hamilton insists that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be regarded as a "huge achievement" if the Scuderia manages to finish the season within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. The seven‑time world champion urged pundits and fans alike to focus on the positive aspects of the team’s performance, despite a string of recent setbacks that have clouded the outlook. The prospect of Hamilton and Ferrari clinching the world title has all but vanished after a series of disappointing results.
The British driver has not stood on the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and a retirement in Madrid – his first of the season – saw him fall more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli. That gap marked the first time this year that Hamilton was more than a hundred points adrift of the points leader, effectively ending any realistic title hopes. Antonelli currently enjoys an 81‑point advantage over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who sits second in the standings.
When asked about his own championship chances ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied, "Well, I mean, he's 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he gained about 40‑plus points on me, and we’ve been working so hard to pick up a few points here and there.
There’s still a long way to go, and I think the focus for me is, if we can hold on to second – if not somehow catch Mercedes – for the constructors' title, that would be remarkable." He went on to stress the importance of perspective: "I think it’s also just about looking at where we were last year and where we are now. While it sometimes feels like doom and gloom, you have to look at the positives." Ferrari endured a winless 2025 season and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
Hamilton’s first year in the red livery has been his toughest, with no podium finishes for the first time in his storied career. The only bright spot came at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, where he secured his first victory of the season, followed by teammate Charles Leclerc’s win at Silverstone two races later. "We’ve been fighting, we’ve had wins and podiums, the team has done an incredible job bringing upgrades, so you really have to acknowledge the good things we’ve done this year," Hamilton said. "I know a lot of people focus on the negatives.
For me, if I can battle with George and somehow get ahead of him – which would be very difficult as Mercedes are the leaders – then finishing the year in the top three, even second, would be a huge achievement for us as a team." Currently Hamilton sits 20 points behind Russell in the drivers' table. While Ferrari has shown flashes of competitiveness during practice and qualifying sessions, race results have often been compromised by strategic missteps and operational errors that are within the team’s control. "There are positives to take from the last few races, but they haven’t been the best in terms of execution and we haven’t had the best results," Hamilton admitted. "The positives we take forward and we try to learn from the areas where we weren’t as good.
I believe we can make improvements and I think we have. I’m excited for this weekend." The Spanish Grand Prix also highlighted Russell’s struggles, as he fell a season‑high margin behind Antonelli, who has now won the last two Grands Prix, bringing his total to eight victories in an extraordinary second season in Formula 1. Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favourite, has spoken openly about the difficulty of adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars.
Yet he remains optimistic, stating in Baku that "I’ve been making very good progress and feel confident I can fight for victories again." He emphasized the need to maintain this momentum throughout the remainder of the season and into the relatively stable regulatory environment expected for 2027. "It is very important to resolve some issues, and I’m pleased with the progress since the summer break," Russell said. "The race pace, which was a weakness, has improved substantially and we’ve been in the mix every race since the break.
I now feel more comfortable that I can fight for great results." Although he has effectively ruled himself out of the title hunt, Russell insists his approach to each weekend will not change. "I’m going to keep fighting every single race until it’s mathematically impossible," he declared. "But it doesn’t change how I do my job.
I want to try and win every race and take pole every race. That’s my goal.
The performance is the biggest priority, not the points deficit." The upcoming Azerbaijan weekend features a packed schedule: F2 practice sessions on Thursday morning, followed by qualifying and a team bosses' press conference. Friday brings an F2 sprint, the final F1 practice, and the F2 feature race, before the main qualifying session for the Grand Prix.
Saturday includes the second F2 feature race and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix itself, with the race slated for midday. Sunday will host post‑race analysis and reaction segments. All of this action will be streamed live on Sky Sports, with flexible viewing options via the Sky Sports app and NOW. Fans are encouraged to use Chrome for the best video player experience.
The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to deliver drama and excitement, and Hamilton’s call for optimism serves as a reminder that even in a challenging year, there are still reasons to celebrate and goals worth pursuing.