Lewis Hamilton has insisted that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be regarded as a "significant accomplishment" if the Scuderia manages to finish the year within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. He urged detractors to focus on the positives of the season despite a series of 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 the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and his hopes of challenging for the championship have faded. In Madrid, Hamilton suffered his first retirement of the season, dropping from third place in the race to more than a 100‑point deficit behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli. That gap marked the first time this year that Hamilton fell more than 100 points behind the leader, effectively conceding the title.
Antonelli now leads the standings by 81 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, while Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points. When asked about his own title 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 around 40 points on me, and we've been working so hard to claw back a few points here and there. There's still a long way to go.
My focus is to hold onto second place, or at the very least keep Mercedes within striking distance for the Constructors' title. That would be remarkable." He continued, "We have to remember where we were last year and compare it with where we are now. While the narrative often sounds doom‑and‑gloom, we need to look at the bright spots." Ferrari endured a winless 2025 season and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
Hamilton’s first year in the red car has been unusually tough, with no podium finishes until his breakthrough victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June. Two races later, teammate Charles Leclerc secured a win at Silverstone, offering a glimpse of the team's potential. "We've been fighting, we've had wins and podiums, and the team has done an incredible job bringing upgrades," Hamilton said.
"You have to acknowledge the good things we've achieved this year. Many people focus on the negatives, but if I can battle with George and somehow finish ahead of him – which will be very difficult because Mercedes are the class leaders – staying in the top three, even second, would be a huge achievement for the team." Hamilton is currently 20 points behind Russell, his former teammate at Mercedes, in the drivers' standings.
While Ferrari often shows speed in the early phases of a race weekend, strategic missteps and operational errors have repeatedly undermined their results. "There are positives to take from the last few races, but the execution hasn't been the best and the results have suffered as a result," Hamilton explained. "We take those positives forward, learn from the areas where we fell short, and I believe we can improve – and we already are. I'm excited for this weekend." The Spanish Grand Prix also saw Russell fall further behind Antonelli, who has now won the last two Grands Prix, taking his career total to eight victories in an extraordinary second season in Formula 1.
Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favorite, has been open about the challenges of adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars. He told the media in Baku that he has made "very good progress" and feels confident about fighting for victories again.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining that momentum throughout the remainder of the season, especially as the sport heads into a relatively stable regulatory period that will extend into 2027. "It's crucial to resolve the issues we identified earlier," Russell said. "Since the summer break, the race pace – which was a weakness – has improved dramatically and we have been competitive in every race since. I now feel comfortable fighting for great results." Looking ahead, Russell believes the points distribution will become clearer as the season progresses, but he expects next year to be similar in terms of technical regulations.
"Not much will change with the chassis or power units. Maybe the tyres will be slightly different, but the core of the car will stay the same. I need to keep building on the progress we've made," he added.
Although Russell has effectively ruled himself out of the championship hunt, his approach to each race weekend remains unchanged. "I will keep fighting every single race until it's mathematically impossible," he asserted. "That doesn't change how I do my job.
I want to win every race and take pole position at every event. That's my goal each weekend. The deficit is huge, but it's not the main focus right now – performance is." The upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend is packed with sessions across both Formula 1 and Formula 2.
On Thursday, September 24, the schedule includes F2 practice at 9 am, F2 qualifying at 10:55 am, a team bosses' press conference at noon, a second F2 practice session at 12:30 pm, and the F1 Show at 2:15 pm. Friday, September 25, features an F2 sprint at 5:10 am, the third F1 practice session at 9:15 am, the first F2 feature race at 11:10 am, and the F1 qualifying build‑up at 12:30 pm, followed by the official Azerbaijan GP qualifying at 1 pm and Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 3 pm. Saturday, September 26, includes the second F2 feature race at 7:55 am, a Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am, the main Azerbaijan Grand Prix at noon, the chequered‑flag reaction at 2 pm, and Ted's Notebook at 3 pm.
All of these events will also be streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event, with the option to watch via the Sky Sports app or the NOW platform. Viewers are advised to use the Chrome browser for the best video player experience.
The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to unfold live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan race marking a triple‑header of action that promises drama, strategic battles, and the chance for drivers like Hamilton and Russell to prove their resilience despite the challenges they face.