50 points behind Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton remains fully in the title race. Emerson Fittipaldi hopes to see Ferrari challenge Mercedes until the end.
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Could the 2026 season finally offer Lewis Hamilton that elusive eighth world title he has been chasing for several years? At the time of the summer break, the Briton holds second place in the championship and still has serious chances to challenge Kimi Antonelli in the final rounds.
A prospect that excites Emerson Fittipaldi. The two-time world champion believes that a battle between Hamilton and Mercedes would be a particularly interesting scenario for the second half of the season.
With a 50-point deficit to Antonelli after eleven Grands Prix, the Ferrari driver still faces a major challenge. The Italian has already won six races this year and holds a comfortable lead in the championship.
Hamilton finally returns to the front with Ferrari
After a particularly difficult first season at Maranello in 2025, Hamilton has this year regained a level that allows him to regularly fight at the front.
The seven-time world champion notably secured his first Grand Prix victory under Ferrari colors in Barcelona. This is complemented by several podiums and, above all, remarkable consistency that allows him to occupy second place in the standings.
His situation could have been even better without several penalties received in recent rounds, which cost him valuable points.
Outperforming George Russell in the championship is also significant given the competitiveness shown by Mercedes since the start of this new regulatory era.
For Hamilton, this season thus represents his best chance to win an eighth world crown since his memorable duel with Max Verstappen in 2021.
Fittipaldi dreams of a Hamilton-Mercedes duel
Emerson Fittipaldi now hopes that Ferrari will be able to continue its progress to keep Hamilton in the fight.
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“I really hope Lewis can fight for the championship. It would be extremely positive to see Lewis and Ferrari become even stronger and come to challenge Mercedes.”
The Scuderia also does not seem willing to give up its ambitions. The Italian team plans to maintain a sustained development pace during the second half of the season to further reduce its gap to Mercedes.
A strategy that could play a decisive role in Hamilton’s title hopes.
Vasseur receives support from Fittipaldi
The former world champion also took the opportunity to praise the work of Fred Vasseur, whom he has known personally for several years.
“I have a lot of respect for Fred Vasseur. When I owned the Brazilian team in A1 Grand Prix, Fred and his ART Grand Prix team took care of our structure and they did an excellent job.”
Fittipaldi believes the Frenchman now has the experience needed to get the best out of Ferrari.
“He is a good person and a very high-level leader. I think he now knows the Italians very well! The second half of the season should therefore be interesting.”
With still half the championship to play, 50 points remain a significant gap but far from insurmountable. If Ferrari continues its progress and Hamilton maintains his consistency while avoiding the penalties that have recently cost him dearly, the dream of an eighth world title could remain alive until the final races of the season.
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