Lewis Hamilton targets George Russell as Ferrari defend 2026 season
Hamilton insists Ferrari progress must be judged on positives ahead of Azerbaijan GP
Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari's 2026 season can still rank as a "huge achievement" if they finish in the top three of the Drivers' Championship, asking critics to "look at the positives" despite recent setbacks that have ended their title hopes.
Hamilton and Ferrari's hopes of winning this year's world title have faded in recent races, with the seven-time champion not finishing on the podium since the British Grand Prix at the start of July. A first race retirement of the season last time out in Madrid saw third-placed Hamilton fall over 100 points back on championship-leading Kimi Antonelli for the first time this season, with the Briton all-but conceding the title.
Antonelli's overall lead at the top of the standings is 81 points over Mercedes team-mate George Russell. Asked about his own championship prospects heading into the 15th round of a scheduled 23-race season in Azerbaijan, Hamilton said:
"Well, I mean, he's 101 points ahead of me. Just in 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."
"There is still a long way to go and I think the focus for me is, if we can hold on to second - if not somehow catch Mercedes - for the constructors', I think that would be remarkable. I think it's also just having to think about where we were last year and where we've come to this year and whilst it sometimes seems doom and gloom, you actually have to look at the positives."
Defending a turnaround year for Ferrari
Ferrari endured a winless 2025 campaign and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship, with Hamilton experiencing a difficult first campaign in red with no podiums for the first time in his career. In 2026 he has won for the first time at June's Spanish Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc triumphing two races later at Silverstone.
"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 added. "I know lots of people focus on the negatives. For me, again, if I can battle with George and somehow get ahead of him, which would be very difficult as Mercedes are the leaders... if at the end of the year, managing to stay in the top three, even second, I think would be a huge achievement for us as a team."
Hamilton is 20 points behind Russell, his former Mercedes team-mate, in the standings.
Execution issues acknowledged
Ferrari have consistently looked competitive early on in race weekends but recent results have often been compromised by operational and strategic issues within their own control.
"I think there's 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," said Hamilton. "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 2026 Formula 1 season continues live on Sky Sports F1 this week as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicks off a triple-header, with practice sessions on Thursday at 9.30am and 1pm and qualifying on Saturday at 1pm UK time, followed by the race at midday on Saturday 26 September.