Lewis Hamilton backed up his victory in Barcelona with another strong qualifying performance, securing third place on the grid for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix. Together with Charles Leclerc’s front-row start, Ferrari heads into Sunday’s race hoping to challenge George Russell and Mercedes once again.
But can Ferrari really fight for victory at the Red Bull Ring? According to the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, the answer is far from straightforward.
Hamilton recovers from Q3 mistake to secure P3
Qualifying was far from smooth for Lewis Hamilton, particularly during the decisive Q3 session. The Briton made a mistake at Turn 3 on his first flying lap and was forced to abandon the attempt.
With only one final lap remaining, Hamilton delivered when it mattered most, climbing to third on the grid just behind teammate Charles Leclerc. The result highlighted both his confidence in the Ferrari SF-26 and the significant progress the team has made in recent weeks.
Hamilton: “We’ve closed the gap to Mercedes”
Reflecting on qualifying, the Briton admitted Mercedes had looked exceptionally strong throughout the weekend.
“I don’t know if we could have matched those guys. They’ve been quick all weekend, so congratulations to George. It’s fantastic to be here with Charles. I think it’s a great performance for Ferrari.”
Although George Russell’s pole lap appeared difficult to beat, Lewis Hamilton praised Ferrari’s recent development work and the relentless effort from everyone back at Maranello.
“It’s really a reflection of all the hard work everyone has been doing behind the scenes at the factory. This weekend we’ve brought the new engine upgrade, which is another small step forward. We’ve also introduced a couple of small parts on the car. Every weekend it’s fantastic to see everyone pushing so hard and continuing to bring upgrades. You can see how hungry they are, and I’m incredibly proud of them. That’s why we’re here and why we’re so close.”
Ferrari’s overnight progress impressed Hamilton
Hamilton also highlighted Ferrari’s remarkable turnaround after Friday, when the Scuderia appeared significantly further away from the front.
“Yesterday we were six tenths behind on the straights. Somehow today we’ve closed that gap. I felt good during FP3, but for qualifying I struggled a little with the setup, especially under braking. In Q3 I made mistakes at Turn 1 and Turn 3, which cost me my first lap. That naturally put me under pressure because you have to extract everything from the final attempt. Considering I lost that first lap, I’m pretty happy. Now let’s focus on tomorrow.”
“We’re not confident we can fight for victory”
Despite Ferrari’s progress, the seven-time world champion was realistic about the challenge awaiting the team on race day.
“I think this weekend we’re not that confident we can fight for the win. These guys have been six tenths quicker than us for most of the weekend. Overnight we managed to reduce the gap by three tenths, but today we’re still around three tenths behind. Right now the deficit is a little over two tenths.”
Even so, Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari still has a chance if the race unfolds in their favour.
“It’ll be very difficult to challenge them tomorrow, but the run down to Turn 3 is long. It’s great to have Charles alongside me because hopefully we can work together on strategy and try to put them under pressure.”
While Mercedes may enter Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix as favourites, Ferrari’s rapid improvement and two cars starting near the front ensure the Scuderia remains firmly in the fight for another strong result.
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