Lewis Hamilton feels "optimistic" he can end his podium duck in the final eight races of the 2025 Formula 1 season, but says a win is "far-fetched".

Hamilton is yet to stand on the podium as a Ferrari driver ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix and has never gone through a season without finishing a race in the top three since making his F1 debut in 2007.

The seven-time world champion has been qualified just one tenth behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in the two rounds after the summer break at Zandvoort and Monza, a significantly smaller deficit compared to races earlier this season.

"A win is a bit far-fetched considering I've been sixth, seventh and eighth for most of the season," said Hamilton when asked about his chances of ending the year with a podium or victory.

"I would love to get a podium for the team at some stage, Charles has had five of them.

"I feel optimistic coming into the weekend. I feel like I've found a couple of things and now I need to work on extracting them. So I really hope that this weekend can be the start of that."

After Monza last time out, Leclerc stated Baku, Singapore at the end of this month and Las Vegas in November are Ferrari's best chances to be close to McLaren, who can seal the Constructors' Championship this weekend if they outscore Ferrari by at least nine points.

Leclerc, who has a remarkable record at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with five consecutive pole positions, including the 2023 Sprint pole, says he still still thinks Baku provides a good opportunity for Ferrari after testing the car in the simulator.

"I still have this feeling, but mostly based on many years coming here, and most of the time we were not the favourites on paper, then we ended up having pole," he said.

"But that doesn't mean we can, we can win on Sunday. Pole position puts you in the best possible place to start the race but that doesn't necessarily mean that we will have the race pace.

"That's what we've been lacking in the past years. I don't have a big hope that this year is going to be significantly different.

"McLaren is going to be the strongest team alongside Red Bull, because I think that in Monza, they definitely had something that seems to be working very well. It's not going to be easy, but in the places where we have a bit more of a chance, I remain convinced that Baku is one of those."

Hamilton: Final 2025 races have no bearing on next year

There were high hopes for Ferrari ahead of this season after they were narrowly beaten by McLaren in the Constructors' Championship in 2024.

However, the Scuderia have fallen further away from McLaren but will hope to nail the new 2026 technical regulations which will almost certainly shake up the pecking order.

Hamilton says he will be happy to see the back of the current ground effect regulations, in which he's largely struggled at Mercedes and Ferrari compared to his team-mates Russell and Leclerc but does not think he needs momentum going into next season.

"I don't personally feel like these last races really have much bearing on next year," he said.

"Of course, the goal is to see progress and continue to work. But the more experience with the team, the more I grow with the team, and that experience will always pay dividends moving forward, the things that we're learning, whatever lessons that we're faced with will definitely help for the future."

Sky Sports F1's Azerbaijan GP schedule

Friday September 19
6.55am: F2 Practice
9am: Azerbaijan GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying
11.40am: Team Principals' Press Conference
12.45pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)*
2.15pm: The F1 Show*

Saturday September 20
9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts at 9.30am)
11.10am: F2 Sprint Race
12.15pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up
1pm: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING
3pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Sunday September 21
7.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up*
12pm: THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX*
2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3pm: Ted's Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 heads to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

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