Lewis Hamilton insists that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be deemed a "significant accomplishment" if the Scuderia manages to finish within the top three of the Drivers' Championship, urging observers to focus on the positives despite a string of recent setbacks. The prospect of Hamilton and Ferrari clinching the world title has all but vanished after a series of disappointing races.
The seven‑time champion has not stood on the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and his chances of catching the leaders have dwindled dramatically. A further blow came in Madrid, where Hamilton suffered his first retirement of the season. That result pushed him more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, marking the first time this year that the points gap exceeded a century.
Antonelli now enjoys an 81‑point advantage over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, leaving Hamilton in a distant third place. When asked about his own title hopes ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied candidly: "He’s 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he gained around 40 points, and we’ve been scrambling for a few points here and there.
There’s still a long way to go, but if we can hold onto second place – or even catch Mercedes for the constructors' title – that would be remarkable." Hamilton went on to stress the importance of perspective: "We have to compare where we were last year with where we are now. It may look bleak at times, but you have to highlight the positives." Ferrari endured a winless 2025 season and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' standings, while Hamilton endured his toughest year in a red car, failing to secure a podium for the first time in his illustrious career.
The season did feature a breakthrough win at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, followed by Charles Leclerc’s victory at Silverstone two races later, providing a glimmer of hope. "We’ve been battling, we’ve taken wins and podiums, and the team has delivered incredible upgrades," Hamilton said. "Many people concentrate on the negatives, but if I can stay ahead of George – which is a tall order given Mercedes’ dominance – and finish the year in the top three, even second, that would be a massive achievement for the team." Currently Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points in the drivers' table. While Ferrari has shown flashes of speed during qualifying sessions, strategic missteps and operational errors have often undermined their race‑day performance.
"There are positives in the recent races, but execution hasn’t been optimal and the results reflect that," Hamilton observed. "We’ll take the good bits forward, learn from where we fell short, and I’m confident we can improve. I’m excited for the weekend ahead." The Spanish Grand Prix also saw Russell fall further behind Antonelli, who has now secured back‑to‑back victories, bringing his career total to eight wins in just his second full season – an extraordinary start to his Formula 1 journey. Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favourite, has been open about the challenges of adapting his natural driving style to the all‑new 2026 cars.
Yet he believes progress is being made, 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’s crucial to resolve lingering issues. Since the summer break, race pace – previously a weakness – has improved markedly and we’re now competitive every race.
I feel more comfortable fighting for strong results," he added. Although Russell has effectively ruled himself out of the championship hunt, his approach to each weekend remains unchanged.
"I’ll keep fighting until it’s mathematically impossible," he declared. "My goal is to win every race, secure pole position every weekend, and keep pushing the performance envelope. The points deficit is there, but it’s not the primary focus right now – performance is." The upcoming Azerbaijan weekend features a packed schedule: F2 practice sessions on Thursday morning, followed by qualifying and a team bosses' press conference; Friday will host the F2 sprint, additional practice, and the F1 qualifying session; Saturday includes the F2 feature race and the Grand Prix itself; Sunday offers post‑race analysis and reaction segments.
All events will be streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event, with flexible viewing options via the Sky Sports app for those using Chrome. In summary, Hamilton’s message is one of cautious optimism. While the title is out of reach, he believes that maintaining a top‑three finish in the Drivers' Championship and challenging Mercedes for the Constructors' title would represent a "huge achievement" for Ferrari.
By acknowledging the team’s technical progress, learning from strategic blunders, and focusing on incremental gains, Hamilton hopes to end the season on a high note, turning what many have labelled a "doom and gloom" year into a story of resilience and improvement.