Lewis Hamilton sets sights on Austrian Grand Prix to fuel Ferrari title bid
Lewis Hamilton is targeting back-to-back Formula 1 victories at the Austrian Grand Prix following his historic first win for Ferrari in Barcelona.
The 41-year-old ended a personal victory drought dating back to 2024 to cross the line first at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
It marked the end of a 34-race barren run for the sport’s most successful constructor.
The Scuderia are now preparing to introduce their first major ADUO engine update at the Red Bull Ring this weekend.
Mercedes dominance faces fresh challenge
Prior to the Spanish race, Mercedes had established a formidable grip on the 2026 campaign.
The Silver Arrows won the opening six rounds and have secured every pole position so far this season.
Kimi Antonelli currently leads the drivers’ standings by 41 points despite retiring late in Barcelona while running second.
However, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes a genuine three-way title battle has now emerged.
“There is a third party now getting involved in the championship fight, constructor and driver.”
Managing expectations at Maranello
Despite the renewed optimism, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur is eager to alleviate pressure on his squad.
The Italian marque currently trails Mercedes by 72 points in the constructors’ championship.
“Two weeks ago everything was a disaster and now we are speaking about world championship.”
“The approach is to go to Austria exactly with the same approach that we had in Barcelona, and not to think about the championship or to project yourself with 25 more wins.”
The seven-time world champion has recorded four podium finishes in seven races since joining the Maranello outfit.
While acknowledging that securing a record-breaking eighth drivers’ crown remains a monumental task, the veteran British driver insists nothing is impossible.
