Hamilton bullish in Baku after finding ‘a couple of things’

40

Lewis Hamilton says he is “optimistic” heading into this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after finding “a couple of things” to extract more performance from Ferrari’s SF-25, though the seven-time world champion admits a win remains out of reach.

Hamilton has encountered more bumps than smooth straights in his debut year with Ferrari, but the British legend is – slowly but surely – finding his groove.

Fresh off a sixth-place finish at Monza, the 40-year-old is feeling upbeat about his progress since the summer break. With eight races left in 2025, he’s laser-focused on turning insights into results.

“I feel optimistic coming into the weekend, I feel like I’ve found a couple of things and now I need to work on extracting them,” he said. “So I really hope that this weekend can be the start of that.

“A win is a bit far-fetched considering I’ve been 6th, 7th and 8th for most of the season. I would love to get a podium for the team at some stage as Charles has had four or five of them.”

Hope on the Streets of Baku

Hamilton has only stood on the podium twice in Azerbaijan across his long career, and last year’s race proved frustrating as he could manage no better than ninth.

But with Ferrari’s package, he senses an opportunity to make progress.

“This weekend, a much different car than I’ve ever driven here before, so I’m excited to see how that feels and what I can get from it,” he explained.

As for the difference, Hamilton added: “This car is a lot different. I think it has a lot more mechanical grip and is a lot softer than the cars I have driven in the past [here].”

Baku’s streets are calling, and Hamilton feels motivated and better equipped to take on the venue’s tricky challenges.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.