Mercedes driver George Russell has labeled Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari as significant threats to this year's Formula 1 world championship.

Hamilton recently claimed his first victory with Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, narrowing the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes to 41 points. Hamilton expressed optimism about his title chances, stating, "I don't think it's impossible."

Russell, who trails Hamilton by nine points, praised Hamilton's resurgence:

It's great to see Lewis back doing what he does best.

• He noted how critics questioned Hamilton's abilities last year, but emphasized that Hamilton has been performing exceptionally in recent races.
• Russell remarked, "It shows that you don't forget how to drive overnight."

Hamilton acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, “It’s going to take absolutely everyone, full hands on deck, for the rest of the year, to even come close to competing with them.” He maintains a focus on immediate goals, asserting, "I want to win this weekend."

Ferrari has been recognized for having the best chassis this season, although their engine reportedly lags behind Mercedes. Hamilton mentioned the upcoming engine upgrade for Austria, stating, "It’s not the whole gap, but it’s a step."

In a recent interview, Hamilton also discussed an injury he sustained during testing last year, which required extensive rehabilitation, including daily chiropractic and physiotherapy sessions.

Meanwhile, Red Bull has been the least competitive among the top teams but hopes for improvement with a major chassis upgrade. Lead driver Max Verstappen expressed optimism about the upcoming race, saying, "Hopefully it will be a bit better and then we'll see where we end up with that."