Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver says he 'knows what to do' in F1 title race after claiming first win for Italian team

Lewis Hamilton suggested his experience could benefit him in an eventual Formula 1 title fight in 2026 as he urged his Ferrari team to keep pushing to challenge Mercedes.

At the previous round in Barcelona, the seven-time world champion claimed his first win for Ferrari to cut Kimi Antonelli’s lead over him at the top of the drivers’ standings to 41 points, ending Mercedes’ run of six consecutive victories to start the season.

The result has heightened excitement over the possibility of Hamilton challenging for a record eighth title as he bids to resume this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.

Hamilton said: “As for the championship, I don’t let those things… I’ve been here before, I know what to do.

“There’s a long way to go. We’re not coming into this weekend thinking about the championship. We’re thinking about this weekend and doing the best we can.”

Ferrari are hoping for a further boost this weekend from the implementation of their first engine upgrade of 2026, having been given the opportunity to close the gap on Red Bull and Mercedes, both of whom were rated as having strong power units.

Hamilton added: “This weekend we have a new engine. It’s a step, it’s not the whole gap, but it’s a step, it’s a foot forward, which I’m really proud and grateful for.

“Still Mercedes is the team to beat, they’ve won everything else and they’ve just been incredible this year. They’ve got a great car, it’s a great team – a world championship team.

“We’ve got a real fight on our hands and it’s going to take absolutely every full hands-on tire for the rest of the year to even come close to competing with them, but I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Hamilton admits surprise at ‘peculiar’ reactions from rivals

Hamilton’s first victory for Ferrari came after a very disappointing first season with the team following his arrival from Mercedes, in which he failed to score a grand prix podium.

He has started 2026, after the introduction of new rules, in much better form, claiming successive second places before racing to victory in Spain.

The 41-year-old’s victory unsurprisingly sparked enthusiasm from the sport’s followers, but Hamilton admitted he was surprised by the warm reaction from his rivals online.

“I certainly didn’t expect that,” Hamilton said. “It was really appreciated because at the end of the day I have so much respect for all the drivers who show up every weekend, experience the ups and downs, the criticism, the positives, and they still continue to show up with a brave face and do what they do to the best of their ability.

“We are competitors and we all want to beat each other on the track and none of us are satisfied not to finish ahead of the other.

“We have the GPDA [Grand Prix Drivers’ Association] as a tight-knit group of drivers, closer than I would imagine any other generation, at least in the last 20 years. It was really special to see the support from them.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Austrian GP programme

Friday, June 26
8.50: F3 Exercise
10:00: F2 practice
12:00: Austrian GP Practice One (session starts at 12:30)
13.55: F3 qualification
14.30: The team managers’ press conference
14.50: F2 qualification
3.35pm: Austrian GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
17.15: The F1 show

Saturday 27 June
9:00: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Austrian GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
13.10: F2 Sprint
14.15: Austrian GP qualifying build-up*
15:00: AUSTRIA GP QUALIFICATION*
17:00: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday 28 June
7.35: F3 Feature Race
9.05: F2 Feature Race
10.50: Porsche Supercup
12.30: Austrian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
14.00: THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX*
16:00: Austrian GP reaction: Checkered flag
17.00: Ted’s notebook

*Also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1’s European season continues with the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime