Hamilton targets a clean weekend for Ferrari at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari's aim in Baku is a clean, well-executed weekend, and he believes the team can still improve after recent races fell short on execution.
- Top two
- 23 September 2026
What Happened
Lewis Hamilton spoke to journalists on Wednesday at the Scuderia Ferrari HP hospitality in Baku ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, saying he is targeting a clean and well-executed weekend. He said there are positives to take from the last few races, but that they have not been the best in terms of execution and the results have not followed. He added that the team tries to learn from the areas where it was not as good as it should be, and that he believes it can improve.
“There are positives to take from the last few races. They haven't been the best in terms of execution and we've not had the best results, but we try to learn from the areas where we weren't as good as we should be. I believe we can improve and we must do everything we can to achieve that.”
Hamilton described Baku as a circuit where confidence in the car is particularly important. He said having confidence in braking is vital and that drivers also have to feel comfortable with the balance of the car. He called it an extremely demanding circuit because there are plenty of places where you are really on the limit.
- This year we're much happier with where our car is in terms of how we've developed it.
- Both Charles Leclerc and Hamilton have shown strong pace in recent races, he said.
- It's all about getting into a rhythm right from the start.
- Building up confidence in yourself and the car, and then executing everything as best as possible.
Hamilton also said he enjoys that Baku provides for a good fight, and he rates the circuit among his favourite street circuits. He placed it in his top two and said it is better because there is overtaking, adding that what he enjoys is battling with other cars, which is possible there.
“For me it's in the top two. It's better because there's overtaking. For me, it's about battling with other cars and here you get to do that.”
Previously from Ferrari N.V.
Formula 1 arrives in Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 15th round of the season. The weekend runs from Thursday to Saturday rather than the usual Friday to Sunday layout, a change made to avoid clashing with Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ferrari N.V.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Hamilton's media session in Baku sets out what Ferrari is chasing this weekend: a mistake-free race after results he says did not match the team's execution. It matters for both Ferrari drivers, Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, who he says have shown strong pace recently in the SF-26, the car the team has developed through the season.
Terms in This Story
- Clean weekend
- A race weekend run without mistakes or incidents, from the first practice session through to the race.
- Street circuit
- A race track laid out on public roads or city streets rather than a purpose-built permanent facility.
- Hospitality
- A team's trackside area used for guests, media and meetings during a race weekend.
- SF-26
- The name of Ferrari's Formula 1 car for the 2026 season, as referred to by Hamilton.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.