Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence with Ferrari has convinced former Mercedes teammate George Russell that the seven-time world champion has firmly entered the Formula 1 championship battle.
Hamilton ended Ferrari’s long wait for a victory by winning the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month, claiming his first race win since joining the Italian team. The result also ended Mercedes’ perfect start to the 2026 season, with the Silver Arrows having won every Grand Prix before Barcelona.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Russell praised Hamilton’s return to winning form and said Ferrari’s recent improvements have transformed the championship picture.
“It’s great to see Lewis back doing what he does best,” Russell said. “Formula 1 is incredibly complicated now. The cars, tyres and power units all have to work together, and when everything clicks, you can see the difference.”
Russell admitted Hamilton’s victory highlighted just how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1, pointing to Ferrari’s successful upgrades as evidence that the championship remains wide open.
The Mercedes driver believes Ferrari’s recent progress has made both Hamilton and the Scuderia genuine contenders for this year’s titles. He warned that Mercedes can no longer focus only on its own performance, with Ferrari now capable of consistently fighting at the front.
Hamilton currently sits 41 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli after seven rounds, with Russell a further nine points back. Despite Mercedes still leading both championships, Ferrari has significantly reduced the performance gap thanks to recent developments.
Hamilton, meanwhile, has refused to get carried away by his breakthrough victory. While acknowledging that an eighth world title remains possible, he stressed that Ferrari must continue improving throughout the season.
The Briton said the team’s latest upgrades are encouraging but believes success will depend on maintaining steady progress race after race rather than thinking too far ahead.
Ferrari will introduce another engine upgrade at the Austrian Grand Prix as it looks to build on its momentum, while Mercedes aims to reassert its dominance after seeing its unbeaten run come to an end in Spain.