Lewis Hamilton backed for title charge after Ferrari breakthrough

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has backed Lewis Hamilton to mount a title challenge against Mercedes following his victory in Barcelona earlier this month.

Hamilton reached the top step of the podium for the first time as a Ferrari driver in Spain, continuing his strong start to the 2026 season.

The seven-time world champion currently sits 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli, whose advantage was significantly reduced after he was forced to retire from the Barcelona race due to a power unit failure.

Ferrari’s sudden rise to the front of the competitive order came after it introduced a major upgrade package for the SF-26 in Spain.

While the result marked a breakthrough for the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership, it remains to be seen whether the team can sustain that level of performance throughout the remainder of the campaign

When asked if he believes Hamilton can mount a challenge, Palmer told the F1 Nation podcast: “I don't see why he can't at this stage.

“He's consistent. The Ferrari car is improving quite well. The upgrades working in Barcelona, obviously sent him towards the wind. Without that, they're not competitive enough. 

“But as the season's going on, you look at Melbourne to Japan to Miami, all the way through, you're seeing what was a massive gulf between Mercedes and the field come down.

“Whether that's McLaren fighting, whether it's Verstappen starting on the front row for a couple of races, whether it's now Ferrari with Lewis back on form being able to win a race and put a strategy together.”

However, Palmer asserted Mercedes will not be standing still as it seeks to reain its advantage at the head of the standings.

“Inevitably, Mercedes will respond, and I think probably the next couple of races will maybe be more towards Mercedes,” he said.

“Track[-wise] certainly Austria more than you'd say on paper for Ferrari.

“But the season is long, and there's only 41 points now between Hamilton and Antonelli.”