The surprising Ferrari fact that shows why Lewis Hamilton fans have a lot to look forward to
Lewis Hamilton fans have plenty to be excited about as the Formula One season moves forward, especially judging by the qualifying results so far.
Despite a five-second penalty for a false start, Hamilton still finished third at the British Grand Prix on Sunday. His Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, was thrilled to win his first race of the season. The 28-year-old crossed the line just 0.427 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, who gained an advantage by staying out during the Safety Car after Max Verstappen’s crash on lap 48.
Kimi Antonelli finished ninth but was dropped to 16th after a five-second penalty for going off track. Antonelli still leads the Drivers’ Championship with a 35-point lead over Hamilton. Ferrari’s recent progress is clear as they head into the Belgian Grand Prix on July 19.
Leclerc’s win at Silverstone helped Ferrari close the gap to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship to 78 points. One key stat shows they’re improving fast: back in March at the Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari was 1.030% slower than pole position, with Leclerc and Hamilton finishing 15 and 16 seconds behind Russell.
Since then, Ferrari has made an amazing comeback, adding 32 upgrades to their car, including two big updates in Miami and Spain. Both Hamilton and Leclerc have gained a lot from these changes, cutting their gap to pole by 80.7% compared to Australia’s race.
With these improvements, Hamilton and Ferrari look set for a strong finish this season, with Hamilton chasing his eighth Drivers’ Championship. The numbers prove they’re quickly becoming the fastest team on the track, and Hamilton believes they can reach a “magical place” together.
“My approach is full attack, full commitment, trying to keep the team motivated and pushing forward,” Hamilton said. “We know where we want to go, but it takes time and hard work. If we all work together, I truly believe we can reach something special.”
This season, Hamilton has already scored nearly as many points (147) as he did last year (156), which shows big progress. At 41 years old, he’s leading his team’s comeback and aiming to challenge his old rivals at Mercedes in 2026.