Lewis Hamilton has insisted it is not all "doom and gloom" at Ferrari, and he believes the Scuderia are still capable of achieving something special in 2026. 

Hamilton's comments came ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Ferrari out to try and catch Mercedes in the race for the constructors' championship. 

Kimi Antonelli stretched Mercedes' lead in the standings to 145 points at the Spanish Grand Prix last time out, while also pulling himself further clear in his world title quest. 

It was far from an ideal race in Madrid for Hamilton and Ferrari, with the seven-time world champion retiring in the Spanish capital, while Charles Leclerc finished fourth. 

Ferrari have not stood on the podium since the Belgian Grand Prix with Leclerc, while Hamilton has not finished in the top three since taking third at Silverstone in July. 

After Antonelli's win in Madrid, Hamilton finds himself over 100 points behind the Italian in the drivers' standings, and though he conceded it would be difficult to try and catch the Mercedes driver, he wants to finish as high as possible with Ferrari this season. 

"Well, I mean, he's 101 points ahead of me," Hamilton said of his own title prospects. 

"In just two races, he gained something like 40-odd points on me, and we've been working so hard to gain just a couple of points here and there.

"There's still a long way to go, and I think the focus for me is, if we can hold onto second – and somehow catch Mercedes – for the constructors', I think that would be remarkable.

"I think it's also just having to think about where we were last year and where we've come to this year and whilst it sometimes seems doom and gloom, you actually have to look at the positives."

Baku media day never looked so good pic.twitter.com/ExB9DBu7y7

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) September 23, 2026

Ferrari endured a winless 2025 campaign and slipped to fourth in the constructors' championship, with Hamilton himself experiencing a difficult first campaign in red, with no podiums for the first time in his career.

But he won for the first time at June's Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with Leclerc triumphing two races later at the British Grand Prix. 

Ferrari have, however, suffered four retirements in 2026, as many as they did throughout the entire 2025 season.

At least one of the team's two drivers has retired in each of the last two races, and they have not suffered a retirement in three consecutive races since 2011, in Spain (Felipe Massa), Monaco (Felipe Massa) and Canada (Fernando Alonso).

"We've been fighting, we've had wins and podiums, the team have done an incredible job in terms of bringing upgrades, so you really have to acknowledge the good things that we've done this year," Hamilton added. 

"I know lots of people focus on the negatives. For me, again, if I could battle George [Russell] and somehow get ahead of him, which would be very difficult... I think it would be a huge achievement for us as a team."

Ferrari have consistently looked competitive early on in race weekends, but the team's recent results have often been compromised by operational and strategic issues within their own control.

"I think there are positives to take out of the last few races, it's just they haven't been the best in terms of execution, and we've not had the best results," said Hamilton.

"But the positives we take forwards, and we try and learn from the areas we weren't as good.

"I believe we can make improvements and I think we have. I'm excited about this weekend."