Lewis Hamilton has insisted he is not seeking preferential treatment over Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in the 2026 Formula 1 title battle. His comments came ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, amid speculation about his status within the team.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, currently sits third in the standings, 76 points behind leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli and 10 points adrift of George Russell. With 10 races remaining, his chances are slim. However, he leads Leclerc by 36 points after the Monegasque's retirement at Monza.
After the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton admitted it was "far too late" for Ferrari to give him priority. Yet he stressed that his request is not for number one status but for better teamwork. "That's not actually really what I've been asking for," he said. "It's really just making sure we're executing to make sure we get the best result for the team. Instead of us working against each other and finishing fourth and fifth, maybe we can work together and get a podium, pull off more points."
Ferrari brought an upgraded engine to Monza in hopes of closing the gap to Mercedes, but Hamilton highlighted the straight-line speed deficit. "Mercedes, if you look at the last race, they were six tenths a lap quicker on the straights. Pretty much most of the other tracks, it was three or four tenths," he explained. "We were losing just on the straights."
Nevertheless, Hamilton praised the team's efforts to develop the car. "I think we've done a really great job, given that we've had that deficit, and we continue to make improvements to the car. We knew that the last engine upgrade wasn't going to be a silver bullet," he added. "But for me, it's really positive to see us continuously stepping forward. They are just very, very quick, and it's not easy."
The 41-year-old also emphasised the importance of focusing on themselves rather than Mercedes' advantage. "Rather than focus on them – they're not a focus for me at the moment – I think our focus should just be, how we can do the best and execute the best on our weekends," he concluded. "There'll be weekends where they're exceptional, and there'll be weekends where they maybe drop the ball. As long as we just focus on our consistency and trying to optimise our weekends, maybe there's going to be a moment where we are able to capitalise on, perhaps, their shortcomings."
With the season winding down, Hamilton's comments underline his preference for team harmony over priority status. Ferrari now face a dilemma: back one driver or maximise constructors' points. The Spanish Grand Prix this weekend will be the next test.
Baca Juga
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