Lewis Hamilton says he’s feeling hopeful ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and is aiming to get his first podium finish as a Ferrari driver.
The seven-time world champion admitted that winning is unlikely, but he believes a top-three finish is still possible, especially with eight races left this season.
Hamilton has never finished a full Formula 1 season without stepping on the podium, but his current form has been questioned. Some, including former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, have even suggested he should consider retiring.
“I’m feeling positive this weekend,” Hamilton said. “I’ve found a few things I can build on, and I really hope this is where things start to turn around.”
He admitted a win is a bit of a stretch given that he’s been finishing around sixth to eighth, but he’s still aiming to give Ferrari a podium. His teammate Charles Leclerc already has five this season.
Leclerc is also hoping for a better result in Baku, where he’s taken pole position for the last four races. After the last race in Italy, he said that Baku, Singapore, and Las Vegas could be good chances for Ferrari to close the gap on leaders McLaren.
McLaren could win the Constructors’ Championship this weekend if they finish at least nine points ahead of Ferrari.
Leclerc added: “We’ve often done better here than expected, but that doesn’t mean we’ll win. Starting in pole is great, but we still need to be fast in the race, and that’s where we’ve struggled in past years.”
