Lewis Hamilton continues his pursuit of a first Ferrari podium as he prepares to compete in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend. The seven-time world champion has eight races remaining in his debut season with Ferrari to extend his record of finishing on the podium in every year of his Formula 1 career.
Until now, Hamilton has been unable to reach the podium in the 2025 season after 16 races, marking a frustrating start compared to his flawless streak of 18 consecutive seasons with at least one podium finish. Despite this challenge, the 40-year-old driver arrives in Baku with renewed confidence following his experience at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, where he felt he made steady progress in adapting to the Ferrari SF-25 car.
Hamilton Builds Momentum Ahead of Baku After Monza Performance
During the Monza weekend, Hamilton faced a five-place grid penalty that carried over from the previous race in Zandvoort but managed to maintain a positive rhythm throughout both qualifying and the race. He initially secured fifth on the grid, just a tenth of a second behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, but after the penalty was applied, he started tenth.
From this disadvantaged position, Hamilton made impressive advances and finished in sixth place. This result marked his eighth top-six finish of the year, although his best Sunday outcomes remain three fourth-place finishes earlier in the season at Imola, the Red Bull Ring, and Silverstone. Hamilton described his race pace positively.
“Definitely felt on top of the car,”
Lewis Hamilton said after finishing just four seconds behind former Mercedes teammate George Russell at Monza.
Challenges of Matching Competitors: Hamilton’s Podium Prospects
Despite Hamilton’s competent showing, he remains realistic about Ferrari’s current competitiveness relative to other teams. Leclerc finished 25 seconds behind the race-winning Red Bull of Max Verstappen at Monza, highlighting the pace deficit Ferrari still faces. When asked about his chances for podium finishes in the upcoming races, Hamilton expressed caution.
“I don’t think so. [On Sunday in Monza] Charles was giving it everything. We’ve got Max that is up there now. We don’t have the pace of Red Bull – they were rapid – and we don’t have the pace of McLaren. So currently I think we are fourth, fifth.
If we do an exceptional job we can maybe get a podium here and there. There’s definitely a chance that we have that at some point, but in terms of pure pace we don’t currently have that.”
Lewis Hamilton stated.
Ferrari’s Search for Victory and Podiums in Remaining 2025 Races
The pursuit of Hamilton’s first Ferrari podium also aligns with Ferrari’s broader effort to reclaim race-winning form, which has eluded the team since their last victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix in October of the previous year. Ferrari remains notable as the only leading team so far in 2025 without a race win, trailing behind McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes in that regard.
Charles Leclerc, who has achieved five podiums this season, provided insight into the tracks where Ferrari might challenge for victories and podiums in the closing races of the year.
“Singapore, maybe Baku and Las Vegas are maybe the tracks we are a bit closer to win a race,”
Leclerc said.
“But I think we are third favourites – maybe if Red Bull struggles maybe second but never the first ones so it will always be quite uphill and difficult.”
Ferrari is aiming to maximize its performance on circuits where the SF-25 could contend among the front runners, with Baku traditionally proving favorable to Ferrari’s package. Upcoming races that could offer opportunities include Singapore, the United States in Austin, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Team Principal Vasseur Confident About Hamilton’s Podium Prospects
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has expressed belief that Hamilton will end his podium drought before the season concludes. He pointed to Hamilton’s battle with George Russell during recent races as evidence of the driver’s strong performances.
“Yeah, because [the fact] that he was able to fight with Russell in Zandvoort, to come back from P10 to the gearbox of Russell [at Monza]. Russell was a couple of times on the podium [this season],”
Vasseur commented.
“Yes, we can expect to be on the podium.”
Vasseur also underlined the importance of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and other circuits where Ferrari has traditionally excelled, confirming their goal to secure race victories while aiming to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship behind McLaren, who currently lead by a significant margin.
“I think we have a couple of tracks where we are supposed to be also in a good shape, starting with the next one,”
he said.
“We are historically always in a good shape in Baku.
“But, for sure, it’s the goal [to win a race], the goal also is now to finish P2 in the championship [in which] McLaren is on another planet.
“We are fighting with Red Bull and Merc and the target for the team is to finish P2. The first target is to finish P2 and then to win races.”
As the team prepares for Baku, Ferrari holds a 20-point lead over third-placed Mercedes and a 41-point advantage over fourth-placed Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings. McLaren is the closest rival, capable of securing the championship if results favor them on race day.
Schedule and Coverage Details for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
The Formula 1 weekend in Azerbaijan features a packed schedule, with Sky Sports F1 providing live coverage throughout the event. Key sessions include practice runs, qualifying, and the race itself, spanning from Thursday through Sunday.
Highlights of the broadcasting schedule include:
Thursday, September 18:
11:00 AM – Drivers’ Press Conference
2:45 PM – Paddock Uncut
Friday, September 19:
6:55 AM – F2 Practice
9:00 AM – Azerbaijan GP Practice One (starts 9:30 AM)
10:55 AM – F2 Qualifying
11:40 AM – Team Principals’ Press Conference
12:45 PM – Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (starts 1:00 PM)
2:15 PM – The F1 Show
Saturday, September 20:
9:15 AM – Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (starts 9:30 AM)
11:10 AM – F2 Sprint Race
12:15 PM – Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up
1:00 PM – Azerbaijan GP Qualifying
3:00 PM – Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday, September 21:
7:55 AM – F2 Feature Race
10:30 AM – Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up
12:00 PM – Azerbaijan Grand Prix
2:00 PM – Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3:00 PM – Ted’s Notebook
The race will be available for live streaming on Sky Sports Main Event, and for subscribers via NOW, offering flexible viewing with no contract commitments. This accessibility allows fans to follow the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and all remaining 2025 races as Hamilton seeks to achieve his first Ferrari podium finish.
