Hamilton believes Ferrari can fight for 2026 title ahead of Hungarian GP

Hamilton arrives in Hungary with title belief

Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari has the potential to challenge for the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship as he prepares for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final round before the summer break.

The seven-time World Champion has found a stronger rhythm in his second campaign with the Scuderia. After a podium-less 2025, Hamilton has secured five rostrums from the opening 10 rounds this season, including his first Grand Prix victory for Ferrari at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last month.

He enters the weekend second in the Drivers’ Championship with 159 points, 45 behind Mercedes rival Kimi Antonelli. The Hungaroring also represents a major opportunity: Hamilton has claimed a record nine pole positions and eight victories at the circuit.

As outlined in our preview of Hamilton’s Hungarian Grand Prix victory target, he remains encouraged by Ferrari’s recent pace but wary of Mercedes’ benchmark performance.

“I don’t want to make assumptions,” Hamilton said. “We ultimately should have won the last two races, I think, if we perfected the weekend.”

He pointed to Silverstone, where he felt the car was capable of winning, and Spa, where Ferrari was more competitive than expected. Hamilton said he had missed something in Belgium and was determined not to repeat that mistake in Hungary.

“I think we’ve got a car that can compete. Mercedes is still the car to beat, and they won’t be easy to beat this weekend, but I do think we’ve made subtle progress,” he added.

Leclerc demands precision from Ferrari

Charles Leclerc has also carried momentum into Budapest after winning in Britain and finishing second in Belgium. However, the Monegasque stressed that Ferrari cannot afford to take its recent form for granted.

“We’ve done a good job in maximising our package,” Leclerc said, while acknowledging that luck and a Virtual Safety Car had helped put Ferrari in contention during the last two races.

He warned that the margins remain extremely narrow, with small errors capable of turning an expectedly strong weekend into a disastrous one. Ferrari’s priority, therefore, is preparation rather than expectation.

For Hamilton, the wider picture is clear: progress has changed Ferrari’s outlook, but the title fight still demands sustained execution. “Still a lot of work to do, still a mountain to climb in the second half of the season, but I’m more focused than ever and really believe that we can fight,” he said.