Lewis Hamilton jokes about his F1 world title chances: “Maybe if I loosen the Mercedes bolts…”. Lewis Hamilton jokes about F1 title hopes ahead of Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton responded with a joke when asked whether he still believes he can win an eighth Formula 1 World Championship, as the Ferrari driver reflected on the challenge of closing the gap to Mercedes ahead of his home race at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton chasing the Mercedes benchmark

Following his impressive victory in Barcelona, Lewis Hamilton reignited hopes among Ferrari fans that an eighth world title could still be within reach. On a circuit that has traditionally provided one of the clearest indications of a car’s overall competitiveness, Ferrari demonstrated that the SF-26 has the potential to fight for victory when the conditions suit its characteristics.

However, the optimism generated in Spain quickly faded just one race later. At the Red Bull Ring, Ferrari endured a far more difficult weekend, with the Austrian Grand Prix exposing what remains the SF-26’s biggest weakness: straight-line speed. That limitation is still a concern for Lewis Hamilton as Formula 1 heads to Silverstone, despite the encouragement of racing in front of his home crowd.

It remains to be seen what result Lewis Hamilton would happily accept this weekend. While the support of the British fans could provide an extra boost, Ferrari arrives at Silverstone after two completely different performances in Barcelona and Austria. Even though the championship deficit currently stands at 46 points, an eighth world title would require Ferrari to improve both its top-speed performance and its ability to remain competitive regardless of circuit layout. When asked about his championship chances, however, Lewis Hamilton chose to answer with his trademark sense of humor.

Lewis Hamilton’s comments

“A chance of winning an eighth title? Well, if I go into the Mercedes garage and loosen the wheel nuts…” he joked.

“Mercedes are operating at an extraordinary level. It will be difficult for anyone to catch them. Red Bull have also taken a step forward, and I expect them to be strong. Without any doubt, Max will be a major factor and he has the pace to challenge Mercedes,” he added.

“We just have to keep believing in ourselves, keep working hard and get the maximum out of every weekend. It’s not over until it’s over.”