Hamilton sets sights on clear goal ahead of final Dutch GP

The Briton has endured a relatively subdued weekend so far compared to the results he regularly achieved during the first half of the season, running well away from the podium throughout. His teammate, meanwhile, fought for victory in yesterday's Sprint race before eventually finishing second.

Speaking during the traditional drivers' parade ahead of the race, Hamilton acknowledged the challenge Ferrari faces from fifth on the grid, with several quick cars starting ahead of him. Nevertheless, the seven-time world champion remains hopeful of making progress and putting pressure on his rivals, despite the difficulties of overtaking around Zandvoort.

Finally, Hamilton also took a moment to thank the Dutch fans and Zandvoort for their support over the years, with this weekend marking Formula 1's final visit to the circuit: "Thank you to Zandvoort for hosting us every year. This has been amazing. I know it's the last race here, but you guys really show up every single year, so I just want to acknowledge that."

Speaking at the end of qualifying yesterday, the seven-time world champion admitted he felt much more comfortable with the SF-26 after securing fifth place on the grid, just ahead Leclerc. Hamilton struggled during both Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint itself after moving away from the set-up that helped him finish fourth in FP1, but changes ahead of qualifying allowed him to regain confidence in the car.

The Briton nevertheless highlighted tyre preparation as Ferrari's main difficulty, particularly in the opening sector, where he repeatedly struggled to have the tyres ready for Turn 1.

Hamilton is more optimistic about Ferrari's prospects for the Grand Prix after seeing an improvement in the car and the pace Leclerc showed on his way to second place in the Sprint. Although he acknowledged that the Mercedes and McLaren cars starting ahead will be difficult to challenge, Hamilton believes Ferrari's race pace could allow him to stay with the leading group, with strategy set to play an important role in determining what he can achieve in the final Dutch Grand Prix.