Hamilton Vows Eighth Title At Silverstone
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- Lewis Hamilton told the Silverstone crowd he "won't stop until we get there" in pursuit of a record eighth world title, ahead of his 20th British Grand Prix at age 41
- Hamilton sits third in the 2026 standings, 46 points behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli after eight rounds, having already finished on the podium four times this season
- Ferrari ended victory droughts dating back to 2024 when Hamilton won the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last month, the team's first win in that span
- Mercedes lead both championships after George Russell's Austrian GP victory last Sunday, with seven wins in eight races and pole position at every Grand Prix so far in 2026
- Hamilton acknowledged Ferrari trail Mercedes on straight-line speed but said: "If we had the same power as them, we would be battling them every single weekend"
- Silverstone named its main pit straight in Hamilton's honour during Thursday's F1 Show on Sky Sports F1
Why it matters: Hamilton's eighth-title bid is alive at 41 but mathematically steep — 46 points behind Antonelli with Mercedes winning seven of eight rounds and taking pole at every single Grand Prix in 2026. Ferrari's Barcelona victory showed the ceiling Hamilton can reach, yet the straight-line power deficit he flagged is the structural gap that must close for the championship to become realistic rather than aspirational.
