Jolyon Palmer voiced support for Lewis Hamilton in the fight against Mercedes for the 2026 Formula One title, following his Barcelona Grand Prix victory a few weeks ago.
The seven-time world champion, racing in Ferrari colours, stood on the top step of the podium for the first time, ending a drought of more than 680 days without a win. As a result, the gap to Kimi Antonelli, who retired in Spain, was reduced to 41 points.
“I don’t see why he couldn’t pull it off at this stage,” Palmer told F1 Nation when asked whether Hamilton can contend for the title. “He is consistent. The Ferrari car is evolving very well. The updates that worked in Barcelona, of course, gave him a big boost. Without that, they would not be competitive enough.”
“But as the season progresses, looking from Melbourne to Japan and then to Miami, along the entire journey, you can see that the massive gap between Mercedes and the rest of the grid is narrowing. Whether with McLaren challenging, with Verstappen starting from the front row in some races, or now with Ferrari – and Lewis regaining form – able to win a race and execute a solid strategy,” he continued.
Nevertheless, Palmer also stressed that Mercedes will not simply sit on their hands, pursuing a recovery. “Inevitably, Mercedes will react, and I think that, probably, the upcoming races may tilt more in Mercedes’ direction,” he said.
“In terms of track performance, Austria certainly favors Mercedes more than one might think, when it comes to Ferrari. Whether with McLaren in the fight, with Verstappen starting on the front row in some races, or now with Ferrari — and Lewis regaining his form — able to win a race and execute a solid strategy,” he continued.
“But the season is long, and there are now only 41 points separating Hamilton and Antonelli,” he concluded.
