Lewis Hamilton has clarified that he is not demanding number-one status over teammate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, even though he remains a viable contender for the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
Following Leclerc’s DNF at the Italian Grand Prix, his gap to championship frontrunner Kimi Antonelli has grown to 112 points. With ten rounds remaining, a total of 258 points are still up for grabs, provided the season’s conclusion is not disrupted by the conflict in Iran.
In contrast, Hamilton trails by only 76 points, giving the seven-time world champion a more plausible—if still outside—chance of mounting a late title challenge.
Yet, when questioned on whether Ferrari should shift its entire focus to his campaign and have Leclerc act in a backup role, Hamilton responded: “That isn’t really what I’ve been requesting.
“It’s more about ensuring we execute perfectly to secure the strongest possible outcome for the squad. Rather than battling each other and ending up in fourth and fifth, we should collaborate to clinch podium finishes and maximize our points haul.”
Hamilton’s steady performances have kept his championship hopes alive, as he stands as the sole competitor to place inside the top ten at every race, never once falling outside the top six. Nevertheless, he is highly conscious of Mercedes’ superior outright pace, especially with Ferrari still searching for its first pole position of the 2026 campaign—a deficit primarily attributed to the engine.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Image credit: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
“At the previous grand prix, Mercedes held a six-tenths per lap advantage on the straightaways,” Hamilton observed. “At nearly every other circuit, the gap was around three or four tenths. Our deficit was purely on the straights.
“I believe we have performed exceptionally well considering this disadvantage, and our efforts to develop the car persist. Updates have been made to our power unit. We recognized that the most recent engine upgrade would not be a magic fix to completely erase the deficit. However, I find it highly encouraging that we are making steady progress. Their pace is simply formidable, making this a tough challenge.
“As previously mentioned, instead of fixating on their performance—which isn’t my priority right now—our attention must remain on maximizing our execution each weekend. There will be events where they are outstanding, and others where they might slip up.
“If we maintain our reliable form and extract the maximum potential from each weekend, an opportunity might arise for us to exploit any mistakes they make.”
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– The Autosport.com Editorial Team
