Hamilton hopeful

Lewis Hamilton is optimistic that Mercedes can build on their strong run of form into the second half of the season, though the seven-time world champion has played down the possibility of a championship challenge being on the cards.

After a slow start to the campaign, the Silver Arrows have seen a dramatic turnaround in their fortunes as 2024 has progressed. The squad have picked up more wins than any other team since Round 8 in Monaco, with Hamilton taking two victories while George Russell has one to his name.

Hamilton himself has also collected some eye-catching statistics, which included an emotional and long-awaited return to the top step at Silverstone. The Briton also shares the accolade of scoring the most podiums over the last seven rounds with the McLaren pair.

Hamilton’s latest top-three finish came at the closing race before the summer break in Belgium, where he initially crossed the line in second before being promoted to P1 after Russell was disqualified when his car was found to be underweight.

Speaking after the event, Hamilton – who currently sits P6 in the drivers’ standings on 150 points – was asked if his impressive run across the last few races had left him feeling that he could potentially fight for the championship. “No. It would be high hopes,” the 39-year-old responded, according to a report on the official Formula One website.

“But, I mean, if we can continue this kind of performance as we’ve had the last few races, which has been fantastic… I think if we can start our weekends off a little bit better, hopefully we can continue.

“I think, obviously, McLaren was very strong (in Belgium), we were just a bit further ahead early on (in the race), but yeah, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”

The final 10 races of 2024 will mark Hamilton’s last as a Mercedes driver before his impending switch to Ferrari next season. For Russell, however, the team’s recent signs of promise have made him optimistic about their chances of a consistent title push in 2025.