Ferrari's competitive surge puts pressure on Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton faces a crucial test in Budapest after a costly practice crash in Belgium stalled his championship bid amid signs Ferrari is closing the engineering gap to Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton has warned he must "step it up" at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. The call to action follows a crash in final practice at Spa-Francorchamps that left him fourth, undermining what was otherwise a strong weekend for Ferrari.
The accident forced Ferrari to replace multiple components ahead of qualifying, costing Hamilton a realistic chance to challenge for victory. He ultimately finished behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, who crossed the line just two seconds behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Ferrari's performance in Belgium, following Leclerc's victory at Silverstone, signals an unexpected competitive shift. The Maranello-based squad has found surprising pace relative to Mercedes on high-speed circuits, with further upgrades in the pipeline.
"It's really great to see the performance that we are bringing and we are improving the car constantly," Hamilton said. "I think we have got more stuff coming in the pipeline to try and close that gap down."
This momentum is expected to translate well to the Hungaroring, a twisty circuit that should favour Ferrari's cornering capabilities. Hamilton has a strong historical record there, having secured a record eight wins and his most recent pole position in 2023.
Despite the Spa setback, Hamilton advanced to second in the Drivers' Championship. He moved ahead of George Russell after the Mercedes driver spun out following first-lap contact with Hamilton, who received a five-second penalty for the incident. Hamilton now sits 45 points behind Antonelli.
The Belgian weekend also marked a turning point for Leclerc, who has recently struggled to adapt his driving style to the demands of the 2026 cars. While encouraged by his pace, the Monegasque driver remains cautious about declaring a full breakthrough.
"I'm confident in saying that I made a step forward. Whether I'm at the level where I want to perform, not yet," Leclerc said. "There are still things in the car that I need to drive around. I cannot drive completely naturally, and that is slowing me down in some parts of the race."
