Formula 1 has barely entered its summer break, but Lewis Hamilton is already looking forward to the series resuming action at the Dutch Grand Prix. In addition to noting that Ferrari is readying fresh upgrades to close the gap on Mercedes, the seven-time World Champion emphasized that he typically feels more competitive during the second half of the season—raising expectations for the upcoming rounds.
Hamilton faced his share of growing pains during his debut year with Ferrari in 2025, but has since fully adapted to the Scuderia. Through 11 races in 2026, the Briton has claimed five podiums and one victory, finishing every single Grand Prix inside the top six—a consistent run that has lifted him to second place in the Drivers’ standings, trailing leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli by 50 points.
While acknowledging that Ferrari still trails Mercedes on pure performance, the #44 praised the development curve of the SF-26 and expects another step forward at the Dutch GP, which takes place from August 21 to 23.
“The first half of the season was incredible, considering we were probably three or four tenths off in terms of race pace and straight-line speed. But I know everyone back at the factory is pushing flat out to address that,” Hamilton said.
“We’ve been bringing updates to every single weekend, and there are more coming in the next few rounds. I think the second half of the season will be stronger. Historically, it’s always been a stronger period for me. So I’m going to use this break to reset, recalibrate, and come back stronger, fitter, and mentally sharper,” Hamilton concluded.
Hamilton’s track record indeed shows a pattern of elevating his performance during the back half of F1 campaigns—particularly in hard-fought title fights. Between 2016 and 2018, for instance, the Briton engaged in intense championship battles, first against teammate Nico Rosberg and later against Sebastian Vettel. In each of those years, the #44 put together commanding winning streaks to reshape the title race.
In 2016, Rosberg ultimately clinched the crown, but had to withstand a late-season surge from Hamilton that took the title fight down to the wire in Abu Dhabi. In 2017 and 2018, however, Hamilton decisively outpaced Vettel in the summer run-in to seal both World Championships with races to spare.
Formula 1 is currently on its summer break. The series resumes its 2026 season activities from August 21 to 23 with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
