Lewis Hamilton insists that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be classified as a "significant accomplishment" if the Scuderia manages to finish within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. He urged detractors to focus on the positive aspects of the team’s year, despite a series of recent setbacks that have clouded their prospects. The dream of clinching the world title has faded for both Hamilton and Ferrari 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 a race‑ending retirement in Madrid widened the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli by more than 100 points.

That retirement marked the first time this season Hamilton fell more than a hundred points behind the leader, effectively ending any realistic hope of a title challenge. Antonelli now leads the standings by 81 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, cementing his position at the summit of the drivers’ table. When asked about his own championship chances ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton replied, "He's 101 points ahead of me.

In just two races he gained around 40 points, and we’ve been fighting for 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 in the fight for the Constructors' title.

That would be remarkable." He added, "We have to compare where we were last season with where we are now. While the narrative often sounds doom‑and‑gloom, we need 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 car has been unusually barren, with no podium finishes for the first time in his illustrious career.

The only bright spots have been a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June and Charles Leclerc’s win at Silverstone two races later. "We’ve been fighting, we’ve secured wins and podiums, and the team has delivered remarkable upgrades," Hamilton said. "People tend to focus on the negatives, but if I can battle with George and perhaps edge him out – which will be tough because Mercedes are the class leaders – staying in the top three, even second, would be a huge achievement for us." Currently, Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points in the drivers' standings. While Ferrari has shown flashes of speed during qualifying sessions, their 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 recent races, but the execution hasn’t been the best and the results reflect that," Hamilton explained. "We 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 secured two consecutive victories, bringing his career total to eight wins in an impressive second season in Formula 1. Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favourite, has openly discussed the challenges of adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars. He told the Baku press conference that he has made "very good progress" and feels confident about fighting for victories again.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining this upward trajectory throughout the remainder of the season and into the relatively stable regulatory environment expected for 2027. "It’s crucial to resolve lingering issues; I’m pleased with the progress since the summer break," he said. "Race pace, once a weakness, has improved markedly and we’ve been competitive every race since the break.

I now feel comfortable fighting for strong results. Let’s 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 dramatically, maybe only the tyres will differ. So I’ll keep building." Although Russell has effectively ruled himself out of the championship fight, he confirmed that his approach to each race weekend remains unchanged.

"I will keep fighting every race until it’s mathematically impossible," he asserted. "That doesn’t alter how I do my job.

I aim to win every race and take pole every time. That’s my goal each weekend. The points deficit is huge, but it’s not my primary concern right now; performance is." The weekend schedule is packed with support series and F1 sessions. On Thursday, September 24, the day begins with F2 practice at 9 am, followed by F2 qualifying, a team bosses’ press conference, and the second F2 practice session before the F1 Show at 2:15 pm.

Friday, September 25, features the F2 sprint, the third F2 practice, the first F2 feature race, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying sessions, culminating in Ted’s Qualifying Notebook. Saturday, September 26, includes the second F2 feature race, the build‑up to the Grand Prix, the main race itself at noon, post‑race reaction, and another edition of Ted’s Notebook. All events are also streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicking off a triple‑header of races.

Fans can stream Sky Sports via NOW with no contract and the flexibility to cancel at any time, ensuring they never miss the action as the championship heads into its decisive phase.