Coulthard: Hamilton Has a Genuine Shot at the 2026 Title
David Coulthard told formula1.com that Lewis Hamilton is 'back to his best' and has a genuine shot at the 2026 drivers' title following his dominant maiden Ferrari win at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on 14 June. Hamilton, 41, now sits 41 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli with 15 races remaining in the 22-round season.
Coulthard: Hamilton is "back to his best" with a real title shot
Former F1 driver and television pundit David Coulthard believes Lewis Hamilton is back to his best and has a genuine shot at fighting for the 2026 world title, following the Briton's breakthrough win for Ferrari in Barcelona. Coulthard shared his assessment exclusively with formula1.com in the days after the race, ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.[1]
Hamilton put the memories of a challenging debut season with the Scuderia behind him by storming to victory in the Barcelona encounter, overcoming the two Mercedes drivers on an aggressive three-stop strategy and via a late-race Virtual Safety Car. [1] The seven-time World Champion romped to victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by nearly 20 seconds in sweltering conditions; at 41 years old, it makes him the oldest Grand Prix winner since Jack Brabham in 1970. [4]
The race that reopened the championship
Hamilton secured a magnificent maiden Grand Prix victory for Ferrari in Barcelona, bringing Mercedes' 2026 winning streak to an end and beating George Russell and Lando Norris while Kimi Antonelli failed to finish the race. [2] Antonelli retired just four laps from the finish after briefly getting ahead of his team mate; the race also delivered a historic all-British podium, with Hamilton, Russell and Norris becoming the first trio of British drivers to share a Formula 1 podium since Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees at the 1968 United States Grand Prix. [2]
With Antonelli retiring from second place late on, Hamilton clawed back the full 25 points for the race win on the Italian's championship lead; second-placed Hamilton is now 41 points behind with 15 races of the 22-race campaign still to go. [3]
Ferrari and the road to Austria
Hamilton has taken three podiums in the last five Grands Prix, a stark contrast to last season where he failed to reach the rostrum on a Sunday in 24 attempts. [1] Hamilton himself has said "nothing is impossible" in terms of winning this year's title, after the Barcelona win turbocharged his 2026 resurgence. [3]
Barcelona ended six consecutive race victories for Mercedes; following Hamilton's masterclass performance, the 2026 Drivers' Championship fight has been blown wide open. [6] As the paddock arrives at Spielberg, Coulthard's verdict ensures the question of Hamilton's title credibility will dominate the pre-race conversation.
Related reading
- [1]EXCLUSIVE: David Coulthard assesses Lewis Hamilton's chances of 2026 title push after 'world-class' Barcelona victory (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-18.
- [2]2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix race report and highlights: Lewis Hamilton claims stellar maiden Grand Prix victory for Ferrari as Kimi Antonelli suffers shock retirement (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-18.
- [3]Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver not ruling out 2026 F1 title win as Mercedes count him in after Barcelona-Catalunya GP (skysports). Accessed 2026-06-18.
- [4]How the F1 world reacted to Lewis Hamilton's first Ferrari win in the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-18.
- [5]Why Ferrari are playing down Lewis Hamilton title chances despite F1 Barcelona GP win (motorsportweek). Accessed 2026-06-18.
- [6]Barcelona GP: Lewis Hamilton's VSC gamble delivers first Ferrari victory (planetf1). Accessed 2026-06-18.