Lewis Hamilton admits ‘races like this are where championships are lost’ after Hungarian Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton admits he and Ferrari can’t afford to keep making mistakes if they want to win the world championship this year.

Title favourites Mercedes expected Hamilton to win in Hungary, a circuit that looked perfect for this year’s Ferrari. They justified their status as favourites by dominating Friday practice, but they lost pole to Lando Norris on the second run of Q3.

Hamilton was then demoted from second to fifth for impeding Oscar Piastri, and he ultimately failed to gain any ground after receiving another penalty in a messy race, this time for pit-lane speeding.

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In his haste to beat Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli to turn one, it seems Hamilton disengaged the pit limiter too early on the exit, triggering a penalty for a 0.1km/h breach.

While he initially complained about harsh stewarding, he accepted after the race that it was his own mistake. He was also controversially penalised in Belgium for a collision with George Russell and at Silverstone for a false start.

“I wouldn’t say I go into the break on a positive [note],” Hamilton, now 50 points behind Antonelli, told DAZN. “I’ve had three bad races. Overall, we’re there or thereabouts, in the fight.

“Races like this are where championships are lost… I have to accept that I’ve made mistakes in the last three races that have cost me a lot of points.

“I just need to take this time to reflect and sort my head out so I can come back and be a bit stronger.”

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Ferrari have made errors too, including unsuccessful late pit-stop gambles in Great Britain and Hungary. Miscommunication also led to a botched stop for Hamilton in Belgium, with a mechanic knocked over in the melee.

And the team took responsibility for Hamilton’s Budapest grid penalty after informing him about the approaching Piastri too late.

Ferrari know, given their mechanical disadvantage, that they have to be flawless on race execution to win the title, but standards have not been high enough.

Hamilton has only lost nine points to Antonelli since winning in Barcelona, but if anything, he should have gained ground.