Lewis Hamilton's title chances take hit as Mercedes find F1 fix

Hamilton on podium below shaking hand of Antonelli who is on top step, both in Ferrari and Mercedes race suits respectively — Photo: © IMAGO

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton's title chances take hit as Mercedes find fix to stop the pain

Lewis Hamilton is fighting against his old team for the F1 title

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Sunday 21 June 2026 20:42

Lewis Hamilton's hopes of getting his hands on an elusive and record-breaking eighth F1 title have just taken a knock - at the hands of his old team.

It's a storyline that fans around the world had hoped for this year, as it looks to be a battle between Hamilton and one of the Mercedes stars for the drivers' title.

On pure power alone - regardless of what the ADUO ruling says - Mercedes are top of the class. But when it comes to the car itself - and the chassis - Ferrari are king.

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It has set up what looks to be a mouthwatering season, especially if the Silver Arrows continue to battle reliability issues.

However, this is the worrying part for Hamilton and Ferrari as it appears that Toto Wolff's team have found the root cause for the recent DNFs from both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

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Mercedes have F1 battery fix

Although not an overnight cure, Mercedes now appear to have found out exactly what has been causing the terminal issues on both W17s.

The team's technical director, James Allison, opened up on the issue and his hopes that the team can now start to turn the tide.

Mercedes technical director, James Allison

"I think anyone who's a keen watcher of the sport will have seen that this has laid a few Mercedes engine cars low over the season so far," said Allison on the team's Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show.

"They're not all identical, but they do sort of originate in the same broad part of the battery. And I think that most of the areas of risk have been understood and, with a bit of luck, when we start to sort of phase in the new modules into the racing season - we call the battery the 'module' - then our fortunes as a fleet should pick up.

"Obviously for us, that's an important thing. These DNFs are very, very painful."

Mercedes are currently 72 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors' standings; while Antonelli (156) leads the way in the drivers', ahead of Hamilton (115) and Russell (106).

The teams are back on track at the Austrian Grand Prix next weekend, June 26 - 28.

F1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes