Hamilton defends Ferrari amid ‘doom and gloom’ criticism

"I think it's also just having to think about where we were last year and where we've come to this year," says Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari's fading title challenge; watch Thursday's practice sessions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at 9.30am and 1pm, live on Sky Sports F1

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>Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari's 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" of the team's year despite recent setbacks.

>Hamilton and Ferrari's hopes of winning this years world title have faded in recent races, with the Briton 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 seven-time champion 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 weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the season's 15th of a scheduled 23 rounds, 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.

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>"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."

>Ferrari endured a winless 2025 campaign and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship, with Hamilton himself experiencing a difficult first campaign in red with no podiums for the first time in his career.

>But he won for the first time at June's Spanish Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc triumphing two races later at Silverstone.

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>Hamilton added: "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.

>"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.

>Ferrari have consistently looked competitive early on in race weekends but the team's 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.

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>"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.

>The Spanish Grand Prix a fortnight ago also saw Russell fall a season-high margin behind Antonelli, who has won the last two grands prix to take his tally to eight overall in an extraordinary second campaign of F1 so far.

>Russell, the pre-season title favourite, has spoken openly about his difficulties in meshing his natural driving style to the all-new 2026 cars but believes the situation is improving, saying in Baku on Wednesday that "I've been making very good progress and feel confident I can fight for victories again".

>He underlined the importance of continuing that trend all through the rest of this season ahead relatively stable winter of regulations into 2027.

>"I think it is very important to try and resolve some issues, which, as I mentioned before, I think I've been pleased with that progress since the summer break," said Russell.

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>"The race pace, which was a weakness, has been substantially better and has been in the mix every single race since the break.

>"And I now feel more comfortable that I can fight for great results.

>"Let's see from now until the end of the season how the points could fall out. But next year is going to be pretty similar. Not much has changed with the chassis, not much has changed with the power units. Maybe the tyres are going to be slightly different from what we hear. So, it's important I continue to build."

>Although he has effectively ruled himself out of title contention, Russell says his approach to each race weekend will not change.

>"I'm going to keep fighting every single race until it's mathematically impossible," he stressed.

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>"But it doesn't change how I go about my job. I want to try and win every single race and put it on pole every single race. That's my goal.

>"That's what I'm working towards every single weekend, and what happens thereafter will be. And there's obviously a huge deficit, but it's not even really a consideration right now. It's just the performance is the biggest priority."

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>Thursday September 24 6.55am: F2 Practice 9am: Azerbaijan GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)* 10.55am: F2 Qualifying* 12pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference 12.30pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm) 2.15pm: The F1 Show

>Friday September 25 5.10am: F2 Sprint* 9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts at 9.30am)* 11.10am: F2 Feature Race 1* 12.30pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up* 1PM: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING* 3pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Saturday September 26 7.55am: F2 Feature Race 2 10.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up* 12PM: THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX* 2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction* 3pm: Ted's Notebook*

>Racing on a Saturday! The 2026 Formula 1 season continues live on Sky Sports F1 this week as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicks off a triple-header of races, with the Baku race taking place on Saturday at midday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime