Lewis Hamilton insists that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be regarded as a "major accomplishment" if the Scuderia manages to finish within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. He urged detractors to focus on the season's bright spots rather than dwelling on recent setbacks. The British champion and the Italian team have seen their title hopes fade after a string of disappointing races.
Hamilton has not stood on the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and a first‑race retirement in Madrid left him more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli for the first time this year. That gap effectively handed the title to the seven‑time world champion.
Antonelli now enjoys an 81‑point lead over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. When asked about his own championship chances ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a planned 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied, "He's 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he clawed back around 40 points, and we’ve been working hard to scrape a few points here and there.
There's still a long way to go. My focus is to hold onto second place – or, if possible, catch Mercedes – in the Constructors' standings. That would be remarkable." He added, "We have to compare where we were last year with where we are now. It can sound bleak, but you have to look at the positives." Ferrari endured a win‑less season and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship, while Hamilton endured a tough first year in red, failing to score a podium for the first time in his career.
The situation improved slightly when he secured a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, and teammate Charles Leclerc followed with a win at Silverstone two races later. Hamilton emphasized, "We've fought, we've secured wins and podiums, and the team has delivered impressive upgrades. We need to acknowledge those achievements.
Many people concentrate on the negatives, but if I can battle with George and perhaps edge him out – which will be very difficult given Mercedes' dominance – staying in the top three, even second, would be a huge achievement for the team." Currently Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points in the drivers' standings. While Ferrari often shows speed in practice and qualifying, race results have been hampered by strategic missteps and operational errors that the team can control. "There are positives in the recent races, but execution hasn't been our strongest point, and the results reflect that," Hamilton said.
"We take those positives forward, learn from our shortcomings, and I believe we can improve – and we already are. I'm excited for this weekend." The Spanish Grand Prix also saw Russell fall a season‑high margin behind Antonelli, who has now won his last two Grands Prix, bringing his career total to eight victories in just his second F1 season – an extraordinary start. Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favourite, has spoken openly about the challenges of adapting his natural driving style to the all‑new 2026 cars. He told the Baku press conference, "I've made very good progress and feel confident I can fight for wins again.
It's vital to keep that momentum through the rest of the season as we head into a relatively stable regulatory environment for 2027." He continued, "Resolving the issues we identified has been key. Since the summer break, race pace – previously a weakness – has improved dramatically and we’re now competitive every race.
I feel more comfortable fighting for strong results. We'll see how the points fall from now until the end of the season. Next year will be similar; the chassis and power units won't change much, maybe the tyres will differ slightly.
It's important I keep building on this progress." Even though Russell has effectively ruled himself out of the championship battle, his approach to each weekend remains unchanged. "I will keep fighting every race until it's mathematically impossible," he affirmed. "That doesn't change how I do my job.
I aim to win every race and take pole each weekend. That's my goal.
The deficit is large, but it's not my primary concern right now – performance is." The upcoming Azerbaijan weekend features a packed schedule: F2 practice sessions, qualifying, and the F1 show on Friday; F2 sprint and further practice on Saturday; and the Grand Prix itself on Sunday, followed by post‑race analysis. All events will be streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event, with flexible streaming options available through the NOW platform. In summary, Hamilton's message is clear: despite a challenging season marked by retirements, strategic blunders, and a widening points gap, there are still reasons for optimism. By concentrating on the progress made, the upgrades introduced, and the potential to finish the year in the top three of both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships, Hamilton believes Ferrari can turn a difficult campaign into a respectable achievement.
The next races, especially the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, will be crucial in determining whether those positives can be converted into tangible results.