Hamilton Targets Record Eighth F1 Title Ahead Of Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton insists the hunt for an eighth Formula One world title is still driving every effort as the British Grand Prix approaches, with the Ferrari driver entering his landmark 20th Silverstone weekend sitting third in the 2026 standings and closing in on long-time leaders.

The seven-time champion last secured the Drivers’ Championship in 2020, yet Hamilton is again seen as a serious contender this season. After a challenging first year with Ferrari in 2025, the switch has begun to pay off during 2026, lifting Hamilton back into regular contention.

Hamilton has scored 125 points from the opening eight Grands Prix of 2026, averaging 15.6 points per race. That is Hamilton’s strongest return across a season since 2021, when the average reached 17.6 points. Hamilton now trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 46 points heading into Silverstone.

Ferrari’s improved pace has already delivered Hamilton a first win for the team, at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June. That victory formed part of four podium finishes recorded this year. Hamilton did not finish on the podium at all last season, underlining the scale of this year’s progress.

Silverstone has often suited Hamilton, who holds nine race wins at the circuit and is aiming for another podium this weekend. Hamilton believes Ferrari upgrades allow greater pressure on Mercedes pair George Russell and Antonelli, especially over a long calendar, although Hamilton accepts the current deficit on the straights.

Hamilton addressed supporters during Sky Sports’ The F1 Show at Silverstone, where the crowd responded positively to a question about the 41-year-old winning an eighth title. When asked if that feat remained possible, Hamilton replied with a clear message: “I tell you, I won’t stop ’til we get there.”

“There’s a lot of races ahead, but I’m a realist as well. Mercedes have won pretty much everything, particularly at the beginning, very easily,” he said. “Even when people brought upgrades, they still won, and they didn’t bring an upgrade, so I think they have plenty in their pocket. But there is also races we will be able to challenge them. Whether or not we can compete with them at this current stage, we are pushing really hard to try and close the gap on those straights. If we had the same power as them, we would be battling them every single weekend. That’s what we are working towards.”

The title picture entering the British Grand Prix shows Mercedes still setting the pace, yet Hamilton’s higher scoring rate, Ferrari’s gains and a long schedule together keep the eighth championship target alive, leaving every result at circuits like Silverstone important for narrowing the gap to Antonelli.