Lewis Hamilton urges Ferrari to intensify their efforts in Formula One title bid at Spa

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS – Lewis Hamilton on July 16 urged his Ferrari team to intensify their efforts for improvement, as he bids to mount a title challenge at the Belgian Grand Prix on July 19.

The 41-year-old seven-time world champion, who has four podium finishes in his past five races, is 32 points behind Mercedes’ 19-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli in the drivers’ championship after nine of the expected 22 races.

“It’s time to really crack the whip and do better,” said Hamilton.

“I don’t know what to expect this weekend, if I’m honest, with the longer straights here, but I love this track, the weather is great and I’m really so proud of the team and the incremental steps we’re taking all the time.”

He said his and Ferrari’s revival – teammate Charles Leclerc won the British Grand Prix on July 5 with Hamilton third – had resulted from a combination of improvements.

“Better execution through the weekends, better understanding of the car, how hard the team has worked to develop the car and move it in the direction that both drivers are pushing it towards – it’s all these things,” he added.

He acknowledged that Mercedes remained the team to beat with the best car on the grid, but thanked Ferrari for building a car capable of challenging in 2026.

“It’s no easy feat to build a fast and reliable car,” he said.

“So I am very grateful to them for that and then I can just try my best to extract everything, every single lap and every single point out of the car.”

Teammate Leclerc said he felt, as he had before Silverstone, that Mercedes would have a power advantage in Belgium.

“It was a surprise, honestly for me, that we were strong in Britain, but we were lucky in the race because Kimi had a problem,” the 28-year-old said. “So I think here in Spa, it is Mercedes who are still the favourites.”

In other news, Oscar Piastri said that he will remain at McLaren in 2027, ending speculation that he was to be replaced by four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

Asked if he would be racing for McLaren next year, the Australian replied with a “yes”, before adding that he trusted the team and their belief in him.

It had been widely reported that Red Bull were considering signing Piastri if Verstappen left for McLaren.

“I didn’t realise it was a point of contention,” he said, adding that team bosses Zak Brown and Andrea Stella had shown confidence.

“Obviously, I’ve seen and heard some of the rumours and for me I am very comfortable with where I am and where I sit, and Zak and Andrea have been great through that and very reassuring.

“I am very happy with where I am and where it is going. I’m not really bothered. I trust the team here and the things I have been told and the belief in me, so that is all I really care about.”

Verstappen had earlier declined to comment on reports linking him to McLaren and insisted he had nothing to say about his own future. AFP