‘The opportunity is there’ – Hamilton rates chances of fighting for eighth world title after breakthrough Ferrari win

Lewis Hamilton believes “the opportunity is there” to challenge for title glory in 2026, even if Ferrari have “a real battle on our hands” to build on their recent strong form and overhaul early pace-setters Mercedes.

Hamilton broke Mercedes’ winning start to the season with victory in Barcelona last time out, marking his first Grand Prix win for Ferrari, and banishing the demons of a difficult maiden campaign in red.

Arriving in Austria, Hamilton is championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s nearest rival, sitting 41 points adrift, while Ferrari have cut the gap to Mercedes in the Teams’ Standings – 72 points separating the two squads.

Asked on media day if he senses a chance to kick on and mount a title bid, with Ferrari’s recent car updates appearing to work, and an engine update due to be debuted at the Red Bull Ring, Hamilton expressed cautious optimism.

“I think the opportunity is there, but it’s one thing being there and it’s another thing galvanising the troops and developing,” said Hamilton. “You can hit plateaus in terms of development, so all we can do is take it one day at a time, and all we can do is really continue to bring everything.

“Everyone brings something to the team and everyone back at the factory is working so hard. They see what’s possible, and when you see what’s possible, it’s a north star, you know that’s the direction we need to go.

“Whether the team has had that for a while, I’m not sure, but last year we didn’t really have a north star, and this year we have it. This year, everyone is doubling down, everyone is putting that extra bit of work in even more than before.

“I think it’s starting to show, and the stuff coming this weekend, we do have a new engine. It’s a step, not the whole gap, but it’s a step. It’s one foot forwards, which I’m really proud and thankful for.

“Still, Mercedes are the team to beat, they’ve won everything else and they’ve been just incredible this year – a great car, an amazing team, a World Championship team. So, we have a real battle on our hands, and it’s going to take everyone for the rest of the year to even come close to competing with them, but I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Hamilton was also asked how the narrative around his time at Ferrari, and the last few years in general, has shifted from talk of retirement to pushing for what would be an outright record eighth world title.

“It’s been crazy to see the flip and people changing their minds from the things they were saying previously,” he said. “I don’t really take much notice of that. I think what I’ve seen, and most importantly for me, is the love from the fans and how people experienced it with me. That meant a lot.

“In terms of the championship, I’m not letting that stuff... I’ve been here before. I know what I have to do, and there’s a long way to go. We’re not arriving at this weekend thinking about the championship, we’re thinking about this weekend, executing the best we can.

“I think you saw [Ferrari team boss] Fred [Vasseur’s] comments, because I guess everyone gets excited by this. It’s about, ‘Calm down, feet on the ground, let’s keep doing our due diligence, let’s make sure we keep executing’.

“There are no shortcuts to success. We all bring something to the table in the team, and I’m so proud of how hard they’re all working. We’ve just got to keep going, keep levelling up. That’s what I’m here to try and do.”