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# Hamilton effectively concedes 2026 F1 title
- URL: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-effectively-concedes-2026-f1-title-after-latest-blow/
- Published: 2026-09-13T14:25:26.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-13T14:49:29.000Z
- Description: There will be "no stopping" Kimi Antonelli in 2026 now, admits Lewis Hamilton after early exit in Madrid
- Author: Samarth Kanal
- Tags: Formula 1, #lewis-hamilton, #ferrari, #spanish-grand-prix, #secondary_feature_2

After retiring from the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix with a brake failure, Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton conceded that there will be "no stopping" Mercedes and its Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli this season.

Seven-time F1 champion Hamilton has been Antonelli's closest pursuer in the standings at times this season, and was within 32 points of him after the British GP two months ago.

But he came to Madrid 76 points behind Antonelli and in the race soon told Ferrari that his brake pedal was long before reporting a full loss of brakes and retiring on lap six.

When Sky put it to him in his post-retirement interview that Antonelli now looked "hard to stop", Hamilton replied: "There's no stopping him and Mercedes this year. I think they've done a phenomenal job and they deserve it."

Hamilton had retained fourth place off the line in Madrid, although Red Bull's Max Verstappen cut the opening chicane to get ahead of him and was eventually made to return the place - prompted furious radio responses from Verstappen.

"It was pretty good racing to be honest," said Hamilton of the incident with Verstappen.

In reply to another question about Verstappen's complaints over the incident, Hamilton replied: "Nothing to do with me".

He said his brake issues ebbed and flowed before the lap six retirement. 

"Braking into Turn 5, I had hit the brake, the car started stopping and then the pedal took a step and the car didn't decelerate as fast as it would normally and I ended up carrying a lot of speed in and… brushed the barrier. 

"After that, the pedal came back, it was fine, and then a few corners later the pedal went long. Don't really know where that's come from."

Hamilton expects Mercedes' advantage over Ferrari to be pronounced at the next race in Baku as well.

"It's long straights there, so I don't really know what to expect at that track, but I'll give it everything," he said.

"Mercedes will be very strong for me."