Lewis Hamilton has declared there is a reason he owns seven F1 titles while many of his rivals do not even have one, insisting he still knows exactly what it takes to reach the top.

Hamilton is the most successful driver to have ever competed in Formula 1, as while he’s tied with Michael Schumacher on seven world titles, his 105 Grand Prix wins eclipse the German’s 91.

Lewis Hamilton explains why he still backs title-winning pedigree

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

This season he’s racing to break his tie with the Ferrari legend and sits second in the Drivers’ Championship after six race weekends, although he is 66 points behind Kimi Antonelli.

After four years off the pace in the ground-effect aerodynamic cars, which didn’t suit his driving style, Hamilton has hit his stride this season with the new overbody aerodynamic cars.

Although he has yet to beat the dominant Mercedes team in a Grand Prix, he heads into Sunday’s race in Barcelona chasing a third successive podium. Hamilton finished runner-up to Antonelli at the Canadian and Monaco races.

Hamilton’s form has all but silenced his critics and those who believe it is time for him to retire.

That is not on the cards with Hamilton recently telling those detractors that they had best get “used” to him being around as he’s not going anywhere. The Briton reportedly has an option for F1 2027 with Ferrari that he is expected to take up.

After all, the Briton is chasing that elusive number eight and believes there are reasons why he already has seven titles to his name while most of his rivals only have excuses.

“I’m fitter, I’m healthier, and in a better place personally,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.

“I’ve arrived with a much better attitude, I would say even a better attitude than I started last year. I’ve got no injuries.

“I’m driving a car that I’ve helped develop, as opposed to last year, when I inherited a car that I had nothing to do with, and it is a new era which I just prefer.

“So it is a combination of things, and I’m just happy in my life as well, experience naturally really does help, and you might hear from some of your colleagues that haven’t won a world championship, and there’s a reason why they haven’t won a world championship, and there’s a reason why I have seven, and I know what it takes to win.

“I know what it takes for a team to win, and I know many people that I work with know what it takes to have won championships in the past, and my sole goal is to help them and me to get to where we ultimately, I truly believe we can get to, and deserve to be.”

The Briton says he and Ferrari are on the right path to achieving their combined goals.

“My approach is full attack, full commitment, trying to continuously galvanise the team and push in the right direction,” he said.

“I think we have a North Star. We know where we need to go.

“Getting there takes a lot of work, and it’s not as easy as just fixing something for next week. And just staying all aligned and continuing to push.

“If we’re all rowing in the same direction at the same strength. I think we can potentially get to a magical place.”

F1 2026: The season’s winners and losers

The results of the F1 2026 championship

The F1 2026 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

But it won’t be this season, at least not according to 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

The Canadian says that while Hamilton has done well in recent races, the pace just isn’t there to challenge Mercedes.

“Lewis has had two amazing races but it still was not enough to beat Mercedes in a straight fight,” said the Canadian.

“What he can rely on is Russell fighting Antonelli and both going off or having issues, then beating them. Right now he’s on a roll, he’s in a good place, he feels good and he’s aggressive.”

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: FIA president targets huge F1 car weight reduction