Lewis Hamilton: “Ferrari finally has the upgrades I asked for”. Lewis Hamilton: “This SF-26 is finally becoming the car I wanted”.

Lewis Hamilton heads into the Austrian Grand Prix full of confidence after his breakthrough victory in Barcelona, but despite Ferrari’s recent progress, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion insists his attention remains firmly on one race at a time rather than the championship battle.

Lewis Hamilton leading Ferrari’s resurgence

While it is never easy to fully understand the emotions of a champion, it is fair to say that Lewis Hamilton has probably never looked happier since joining Ferrari. The British driver arrives at the Red Bull Ring energized by his victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a triumph that confirmed the significant progress made by the SF-26 and marked the highest point of his Ferrari journey so far.

The success in Spain has boosted confidence throughout the team and, remarkably, has reignited the seven-time world champion’s title ambitions, with Hamilton now just 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the drivers’ standings. Carrying the momentum from Barcelona, he approaches the Austrian Grand Prix determined to build on those results and extend Ferrari’s impressive run.

However, the Red Bull Ring is not expected to be the most favorable circuit for the Scuderia, as its layout places a strong emphasis on engine performance. Despite the first power unit upgrade introduced through the ADUO system, Ferrari still has work to do in extracting the level of power needed to match its closest rivals.

Lewis Hamilton’s comments

“I think I’m incredibly proud of the whole team. It’s like every single person in this team is contributing something, and everyone is pushing harder than ever to improve themselves. We’re working together more closely than ever before under Vasseur’s great leadership. Seeing the improvements we asked for in Barcelona and also here is a sign of how incredibly hard the team has worked. The engine upgrade is also a step forward, even if it isn’t the complete solution, and that’s exactly what we have to keep doing,” the British driver said at the Red Bull Ring.

“It’s fantastic to have a car that finally has the things I had been asking for. We’re moving forward together and collaborating extremely well. I love driving this SF-26. Now I’m finally starting to be able to put into practice the things I had requested, and that’s what makes me feel the best.”

Despite his growing optimism, Hamilton is refusing to look too far ahead when it comes to the championship battle.

“I’m focused on one weekend at a time. I arrive at every circuit thinking only about winning that race, without talking about the championship. Neither I nor the team are thinking about the title. I’m taking it race by race, and my focus is on repeating the execution we showed in Barcelona, where our pit stops, strategy and teamwork were all perfectly in sync.”