Lewis Hamilton has taken a surprisingly supportive stance toward Ferrari’s 2025 campaign, insisting that the team’s efforts can still be counted as a "huge achievement" if they manage to finish the season inside the top three of the Drivers' Championship. He urged detractors to focus on the positives that have emerged over the course of a challenging year, despite a string of recent setbacks that have seen both Hamilton and Ferrari slip further down the standings.
The prospect of a title showdown between Hamilton and Ferrari has all but vanished after a series of disappointing results. The seven‑time world champion has not stood on the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and a race‑ending retirement in Madrid left him more than 100 points adrift of championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
That gap marked the first time this season that Hamilton fell into double‑digit points behind the Italian driver, effectively conceding any realistic chance of clinching the title. Antonelli now enjoys an 81‑point cushion over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, and the gap to Hamilton is even larger. When asked about his own championship hopes ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied matter‑of‑factly, "Well, I mean, he's 101 points ahead of me.
In just two races he gained something like 40‑odd points on me, and we've been working so hard to gain just a couple of points here and there." He went on to stress that the season is far from over and that his primary objective is to secure second place in the Constructors' Championship, or at the very least keep Ferrari within the top three. "If we can hold on to second – if not somehow catch Mercedes – for the constructors', I think that would be remarkable," he said. Hamilton also urged fans and journalists to remember where Ferrari finished last year and to compare it with this season’s progress. "It sometimes seems doom and gloom, but you actually have to look at the positives," he added.
Ferrari endured a winless 2025 campaign and fell to fourth in the Constructors' standings, while Hamilton endured his toughest year in a red car, failing to reach the podium for the first time in his illustrious career. Nevertheless, the team did manage to break the drought with a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, and Charles Leclerc added a win at Silverstone two races later. "We've been fighting, we've had wins and podiums, the team have done an incredible job in terms of bringing upgrades, so you really have to acknowledge the good things that we've done this year," Hamilton emphasized.
He acknowledged that many observers tend to focus on the negatives, but he believes that maintaining a top‑three finish – even if it’s second place – would be a massive accomplishment for Ferrari. Currently, Hamilton sits 20 points behind his former teammate George Russell in the drivers' rankings. Ferrari’s on‑track performance often looks promising during qualifying and the early stages of a race weekend, yet operational missteps and strategic blunders have repeatedly cost them valuable points. "I think there are positives to take out of the last few races, it's just they haven't been, I would say, the best in terms of execution and we've not had the best results," Hamilton admitted.
"But the positives we take forwards and we try and learn from the areas we weren't as good. I believe we can make improvements and I think we have. I'm excited for this weekend." The narrative in the midfield is equally compelling.
Russell, who entered the season as the pre‑season favorite, has struggled to adapt his natural driving style to the all‑new 2026 cars. Yet he reported noticeable progress in Baku, stating, "I've been making very good progress and feel confident I can fight for victories again." He highlighted the importance of sustaining that momentum throughout the remainder of the season and into the relatively stable regulatory environment expected for 2027.
Russell also pointed out that the car's race‑pace, once a glaring weakness, has improved dramatically since the summer break. "The race pace has been substantially better and has been in the mix every single race since the break. I now feel more comfortable that I can fight for great results," he said.
He remains realistic about his championship prospects, acknowledging a large points deficit, but insists his approach to each weekend will not change. "I'm going to keep fighting every single race until it's mathematically impossible.
I want to try and win every single race and put it on pole every single race. That's my goal." Both drivers, despite their differing circumstances, share a common belief that the season is not yet written in stone.
Hamilton’s optimism about Ferrari’s capacity to finish in the top three reflects a broader sentiment that, while the title may be out of reach, there is still ample room for redemption, growth, and celebration of the progress made. The upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be a crucial test for both teams. The weekend’s schedule includes multiple practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself, all broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Fans can stream the action flexibly via the Sky Sports app, with a recommendation to use the Chrome browser for the best viewing experience. In summary, Hamilton’s message to critics is clear: look beyond the headline‑grabbing setbacks, acknowledge the hard‑won victories and upgrades, and recognize that finishing the season among the sport’s elite would be a noteworthy achievement for Ferrari. The race in Baku offers a chance to turn that belief into reality, and both Hamilton and Russell are determined to extract every possible point as the championship races toward its final chapters.