Lewis Hamilton has taken a surprisingly upbeat stance on Ferrari’s 2025 campaign, insisting that the team can still claim a "huge achievement" if they manage to finish the season within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. The seven‑time world champion urged fans and pundits alike to focus on the positives that have emerged from a year that, on the surface, has been riddled with setbacks and missed opportunities. The optimism comes at a time when both Hamilton and Ferrari have seen their hopes of clinching the world title dwindle dramatically. The British driver has not stood on the podium since the British Grand Prix in early July, and a race‑ending retirement in Madrid saw him fall more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli – a gap he had never experienced in any previous season.
Antonelli now leads the standings by 81 points over Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes, George Russell. When asked about his own title chances ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton responded with a mixture of realism and determination. "He’s 101 points ahead of me," Hamilton said, referencing Antonelli’s lead.
"In just two races he gained about 40 points on me, and we’ve been working hard to claw back a few points wherever we can. There’s still a long way to go. My focus is on holding onto second place – or at the very least staying ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors' standings – which would be remarkable given where we started the year." Hamilton acknowledged that the narrative surrounding Ferrari has often been dominated by gloom.
"When you compare where we were last year to where we are now, it can look bleak," he admitted, "but you have to look at the positives." Ferrari’s 2025 season has indeed been win‑less so far, and the Scuderia has slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship. Hamilton’s own stint in the red shirt has been unusually barren, with no podium finishes to his name – a first in his illustrious career.
Nevertheless, the team did secure a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June, and Charles Leclerc followed that up with a win at Silverstone two races later, proving that the car is capable of delivering top‑tier performance under the right conditions. "We’ve fought hard, we’ve taken wins and podiums, and the team has done an incredible job bringing upgrades," Hamilton continued.
"You have to acknowledge the good things we’ve accomplished this year. Many people focus on the negatives, but if I can battle with George and somehow finish ahead of him – which is very difficult given Mercedes’ dominance – staying in the top three, even second, would be a massive achievement for the team." Currently, Hamilton sits 20 points behind Russell in the drivers' standings.
While Ferrari often shows promising pace in the early phases of a race weekend, recent results have been compromised by strategic missteps and operational errors that are within the team’s control. "There are positives to take from the last few races, but the execution hasn’t been the best and the results reflect that," Hamilton said. "We learn from the areas where we were weak, we make improvements, and I’m excited for this weekend." The broader picture of the championship is also shifting. Russell, who entered the season as the pre‑season favourite, has fallen a season‑high margin behind Antonelli after the Spanish Grand Prix, where Antonelli claimed his eighth career win in just his second full season.
Russell has been open about the challenges of adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars, but he believes progress is being made. Speaking in Baku, he noted, "I’ve been making very good progress and feel confident I can fight for victories again. The race pace, which was a weakness, has improved substantially since the summer break." Russell emphasized that his approach to each race weekend will not change, even though he has effectively ruled himself out of the title fight.
"I’ll keep fighting every single race until it’s mathematically impossible," he said. "My goal remains to win every race, take pole position whenever I can, and keep building on the performance improvements we’re seeing." Looking ahead, both drivers recognize that the 2026 regulatory package will remain relatively stable into 2027, with only minor tweaks to tyres and perhaps some incremental aerodynamic adjustments. This continuity means that teams that can refine their current chassis and power unit will have a distinct advantage in the coming years.
The schedule for the upcoming Azerbaijan weekend is packed with action. Friday will feature the F2 Sprint and the third practice session for the Grand Prix, followed by qualifying on Saturday morning and the race itself at midday. Sky Sports will broadcast the entire programme live, offering a flexible streaming option through the NOW platform, which allows viewers to cancel at any time without a contract. In summary, Hamilton’s message is clear: despite a season that has often felt like a series of setbacks, there are still reasons to be hopeful.
By concentrating on the tangible improvements made, the occasional victory, and the potential to finish the year within the top three, Ferrari can still claim a respectable, if not spectacular, achievement. The upcoming races, particularly the high‑stakes Azerbaijan Grand Prix, will be crucial in determining whether those positives can be turned into lasting results.