Austrian GP: Lewis Hamilton accepts P5 after comparing himself to Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton reflects on Ferrari's difficult Austrian Grand Prix.

After starting third on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton wasted no time in attacking Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who lined up directly ahead of him. The British driver immediately overtook the Monegasque on the opening lap, repeating the move twice more over the course of Formula 1’s visit to the Red Bull Ring.

Is Lewis Hamilton now Ferrari’s leading driver?

Lewis Hamilton has now climbed to third in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship and holds a commanding 46-point advantage over Charles Leclerc. It is a remarkable turnaround compared to last season, especially considering that the seven-time world champion now leads his Ferrari team-mate 6-2 in race head-to-head finishes.

Charles Leclerc as the benchmark

Reflecting on his Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton admitted that he measured his own performance against Charles Leclerc throughout what proved to be another extremely challenging weekend for Ferrari.

“Generally speaking, Austria has always been a difficult circuit for me—probably one of my worst,” commented the Barcelona Grand Prix winner. He continued: “So when I qualified third yesterday, I told myself, ‘That’s actually not too bad.’ Finishing fifth today, considering Charles has usually been very strong here over the years, is a result I’m happy to accept.”

Lewis Hamilton’s assessment highlights how he judged his performance not only against the overall result but also against the driver who has traditionally excelled at the Red Bull Ring. In a difficult weekend for Ferrari, the British driver felt he had extracted the maximum possible from the SF-26 despite the team’s lack of competitiveness compared to the frontrunners.