Lewis Hamilton maintains that Ferrari’s 2025 campaign can still be regarded as a "huge achievement" if the Scuderia manages to finish within the top three of the Drivers' Championship. He urged detractors to focus on the positives of the season despite a series of recent setbacks. The prospect of Hamilton and Ferrari clinching the world title has all but vanished after a string of disappointing races. 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 saw him fall more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli for the first time this year.
Antonelli now commands an 81‑point advantage over his Mercedes teammate George Russell, while Hamilton trails Russell by 20 points. When asked about his own title hopes ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the 15th round of a 23‑race calendar – Hamilton responded with a dose of realism: "He's 101 points ahead of me. In just two races he gained about 40 points on me, and we’ve been working hard to claw back a few points here and there." He went on to say that the primary goal for the remainder of the season is to protect second place in the Constructors' Championship, or at the very least keep Ferrari within striking distance of Mercedes.
"If we can hold on to second – if not somehow catch Mercedes – that would be remarkable," he explained. Hamilton emphasized the importance of perspective, noting that while the narrative around the team can sometimes sound "doom and gloom," there are still reasons for optimism. "We have to look at where we were last year and where we are now.
There are positives to highlight," he said. Ferrari endured a winless 2025 season and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' standings, while Hamilton’s first year in the red livery has been his toughest, with no podium finishes until his surprise victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in June. Charles Leclerc added to the team's morale by winning at Silverstone two races later.
"We’ve been fighting, we’ve had wins and podiums, and the team has done an incredible job bringing upgrades," Hamilton remarked. "A lot of people focus on the negatives, but if I can battle with George and somehow get ahead of him – which would be very difficult because Mercedes are the leaders – staying in the top three, even second, would be a huge achievement for us as a team." Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari’s early‑season pace often looked promising, but recent results have been hampered by strategic missteps and operational errors that were within the team’s control.
"There are positives to take from the last few races, but they haven’t been the best in terms of execution, and we haven’t gotten the best results," he said. "We learn from the areas where we weren’t as good, and I believe we can improve – and we have. I’m excited for this weekend." The Spanish Grand Prix also saw Russell fall a season‑high margin behind Antonelli, who has now secured two consecutive victories, bringing his total to eight wins in an extraordinary second season in Formula 1. Russell, who entered the year as the pre‑season favourite, has spoken openly about the challenges of adapting his natural driving style to the brand‑new 2026 cars.
Yet he remains optimistic, stating in Baku that he has made "very good progress" and feels confident he can fight for wins again. He highlighted the need to continue this upward trajectory throughout the remainder of the season and into the relatively stable regulatory environment expected for 2027. "It’s important to resolve some issues – I’ve been pleased with the progress since the summer break," Russell said.
"Race pace, which was a weakness, has improved dramatically and we’ve been in the mix every race since the break. I now feel more comfortable fighting for great results." Although Russell has effectively ruled himself out of the championship battle, his approach to each race weekend remains unchanged. "I’ll keep fighting every race until it’s mathematically impossible," he affirmed. "That doesn’t change how I do my job.
I want to win every race and take pole in every race – that’s my goal. The performance gap is huge, but it’s not the primary consideration right now; performance is." The upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule is packed with support series action, including F2 practice sessions, qualifying, and two feature races, alongside the main Formula 1 events.
The weekend will feature practice sessions on Friday and Saturday, a sprint race on Friday, and the Grand Prix itself on Saturday, with live coverage on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can stream the races via the Sky Sports app using a Chrome browser for the best viewing experience.
In summary, Hamilton’s message to critics is clear: while the season has been fraught with challenges, there are still tangible achievements to celebrate. A strong finish in the Constructors' standings, a potential podium finish for the Drivers' Championship, and the continued development of the car are all milestones that, in Hamilton’s view, merit recognition. The focus now shifts to extracting every ounce of performance from the Ferrari package in the remaining races, aiming to finish the year on a high note despite the odds stacked against them.