Lewis Hamilton expressed confidence that Ferrari remains in contention for the Formula One championship, even after Mercedes secured a dominant 1-2 finish at the Australian Grand Prix. While George Russell and Kimi Antonelli led for Mercedes, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished third and Hamilton fourth, over 15 seconds behind the leaders.
Hamilton acknowledged the pace deficit to Mercedes but praised the team's progress. "We've got work to do, but we're right in the fight," he stated. He noted that Ferrari's race pace was stronger than qualifying, where he started seventh due to unrevealed issues. Hamilton felt competitive during the race and believes a few more laps could have secured him a podium finish.
Despite conceding Mercedes' early-season advantage, Hamilton remains optimistic about closing the gap. "It's not impossible," he said, pointing to the car's competitiveness in corners. The team will focus on identifying whether the deficit lies in power or battery performance to bridge the gap.