Lewis Hamilton concedes to crucial Ferrari setback: 'Far too late'

Lewis Hamilton believes it is “far too late” for Ferrari to start increasing its teamwork in pursuit of the 2026 title.

Hamilton came to blows with Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, feeling he was pushed wide on the exit of Turn 2 by his team-mate.

The seven-time champion ran through the gravel and emerged down the order, forcing him into a recovery drive for the rest of the race.

Ferrari lost further ground to Mercedes after the Silver Arrows ended the race with maximum points, while Hamilton crossed the line in sixth place.

With Hamilton being closer to Mercedes in the standings than Leclerc for some time, some suggested at recent events that Ferrari should throw its support behind the former in order to maximise its chance of success this year.

But with Kimi Antonelli stretching out his lead following another win, Hamilton asserted it is too late for such decisions.

“We just lost so much ground on points [on Sunday],” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.

“It’s far too late for those decisions to come. It’s many, many weeks too late.

“All I can do is turn up. I’ll get up tomorrow morning and give my best.”

Ferrari's day went from bad to worse as Leclerc's race ended shortly after his skirmish with Hamilton, when he lost control of his car and crashed at the final corner.

While Hamilton did not completely rule out his chances of a title this year, he conceded the 76-point gap to Antonelli will likely be very difficult to overcome.

“Ultimately, I feel massively gutted for the Tifosi, who showed up for us today,” he said.

“The guys back at the factory, who really are giving it everything. [On Saturday] we didn’t really execute that well, and the same today.

“It’s tough because I’m giving it everything I can, but sometimes it’s not enough. You need all the other stuff to come together.

“It’s never over until it’s over. 

“[But] it’s an amount that, with the pace that they have, it’s a very difficult amount to close up.”