Lewis Hamilton has set his sights on catching former Mercedes team-mate George Russell in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, while defending Ferrari’s progress during a 2026 season that has recently become more challenging.
Heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hamilton sits third in the championship and is 20 points behind Russell, who occupies second place behind Mercedes team mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton is 101 points behind Antonelli after the Italian extended his advantage with consecutive victories at Monza and Madrid.
Although Hamilton accepts that challenging Antonelli for the title has become extremely difficult, he believes finishing ahead of Russell would represent an important achievement for both himself and Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion said his priority during the remaining rounds is to produce cleaner weekends and maximise Ferrari’s opportunities.
Hamilton believes the team’s 2026 campaign should also be judged against the difficulties it experienced last season.
Ferrari endured a winless 2025 campaign and finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, while Hamilton completed his first season with the team without a Grand Prix podium.
The picture has been very different in 2026.
Hamilton claimed his first Grand Prix victory for Ferrari in Barcelona in June, ending a lengthy wait for another Formula 1 win. Charles Leclerc then delivered another major result for the Scuderia by winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Those performances helped establish Ferrari as a more consistent challenger to Mercedes during the middle stages of the season.
However, their momentum has slowed in recent races.
Hamilton retired from the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid last time out, while Ferrari have struggled to convert promising pace into the results they expected. The team has not finished on the podium since the Belgian Grand Prix, allowing rivals to close the gap.
Hamilton believes execution has been one of the key areas Ferrari must improve.
He acknowledged that recent weekends have contained positive signs in terms of outright performance, but mistakes and missed opportunities have prevented the team from turning that speed into stronger championship results.
Despite those setbacks, Hamilton has pushed back against the idea that Ferrari’s season should be viewed negatively.
He pointed towards the team’s victories, podium finishes and continuous development of the car as evidence of the progress Ferrari have made compared with 2025.
Ferrari currently have 358 points in the Constructors’ Championship compared with Mercedes’ 503, leaving them with a considerable gap to close. Hamilton nevertheless believes maintaining second place or applying greater pressure to Mercedes during the closing stages would represent an impressive step forward.
The more immediate target is Russell.
The two British drivers spent three seasons together at Mercedes before Hamilton moved to Ferrari, making their championship battle particularly interesting.
Russell himself has experienced an uneven 2026 campaign.
He entered the season as one of the main championship contenders but has gradually lost ground to Antonelli, who has emerged as the dominant Mercedes driver during the second half of the year.
Antonelli now holds an 81 point championship advantage over Russell after winning eight of the opening 14 Grands Prix. Mercedes have won 10 of those races, establishing themselves as the benchmark team of the season.
Russell, however, believes his recent performances have improved significantly.
The Mercedes driver has spoken positively about changes he has made since the summer break, particularly regarding race pace and his adaptation to Formula 1’s new generation 2026 machinery.
He insists he will continue fighting for victories and championship points until his mathematical title chances disappear.
That gives Hamilton a difficult target.
Ferrari would need to consistently finish ahead of Mercedes during the final portion of the campaign if Hamilton is to erase the 20 point gap separating him from Russell.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix could provide an immediate opportunity.
Baku’s unusual street circuit combines extremely long flat-out sections with slow corners and the narrow old-city complex, creating a challenge that can produce unpredictable races. The venue has also historically offered overtaking opportunities and strategic uncertainty.
Hamilton described the circuit as an enjoyable challenge and arrives hoping Ferrari can convert their recent underlying pace into a cleaner overall weekend.
Team-mate Leclerc has traditionally been particularly strong around Baku in qualifying, having taken four pole positions at the circuit, although he has yet to convert one into an Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory.
Ferrari will therefore hope both drivers can contribute heavily to their championship ambitions.
For Hamilton, the wider goal is no longer simply about chasing an eighth Drivers’ Championship.
With Antonelli holding a substantial advantage, his attention has shifted towards securing the strongest possible finishing position and helping Ferrari demonstrate genuine progress.
Remaining inside the championship’s top three would already represent a considerable improvement on Hamilton’s difficult first season in red.
Passing Russell would make that achievement even more significant.
Hamilton believes there are still enough races remaining for Ferrari to improve their execution and take advantage of opportunities when Mercedes encounter problems.
The challenge begins again in Azerbaijan.
Ferrari may no longer be the leading contender for either championship, but Hamilton insists the season still offers plenty to fight for and overtaking his former Mercedes team-mate has now become one of his clearest targets for the closing stages of 2026.
