Lewis Hamilton says 'I don't care' as Brit gets brutally honest about Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton admitted he "doesn't care" about his personal finish in the championship this year. The Brit said laying a strong foundation for next season is "more important" and remains optimistic that he can be in contention for race wins and a title battle driving a Ferrari car in which he has had some influence on its design.

Hamilton is set to finish sixth in the drivers' standings this year and is currently 64 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, who is one place higher. Between them, they have not now a Grand Prix all year with Hamilton's Sprint race victory back in March the team's sole success in 2025.

"It's been a challenging year but that was expected, to be honest," Hamilton said ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. "I'm joining a new team, a new culture and I'm well aware that progress takes time. It's been a year of foundation-building. Maybe it's been harder this year to build that foundation, where I am."

But he added: "I do feel like we're progressing and I feel like I'm getting to a place now where I'm well-placed for next year - and that's more important. We're not fighting for a championship now. Right now, our job is to try to get the best results to do the best in the constructors' championship."

Ferrari head to Sao Paulo in second place behind McLaren, who have already confirmed the constructors' title. But the battle for that runner-up spot is a tight one with the Scuderia only one point ahead of Mercedes, while both also have Red Bull to worry about with just 10 points separating the teams in second and fourth place.

With that battle and his 2026 hopes in mind, personal ambition matters not to Hamilton in these final rounds of the season. He said: "The drivers' position, no one cares really... I don't care really about fifth or sixth or anything like that. It's more about trying to keep second place for the team. But I think next year is the year where it will be a car that I've had something to do [with] helping to develop, so I'm hoping it's a good year."

Team-mate Leclerc arrived in Brazil an engaged man after proposing to girlfriend Alexandra Saint Mleux. "I'm very, very happy. Obviously, it was a special week, full of emotions," the Monegasque beamed as he faced reporters. "It's obviously a very special moment for anyone to take that step, and Alex and I are incredibly happy."

Speaking of his fiancée's support from the sidelines, Leclerc added: "She's incredibly engaged [in Formula 1], not technically, of course. But as all of us, I think we are all human, and I think we are all supported by the people that are closest to us, and Alex is the closest person that I have, with my family, obviously."