Hamilton hails Ferrari improvements as he "takes responsibility" for disappointing result

Lewis Hamilton has revealed his 'encouragement' after sweeping Ferrari Formula 1 improvements have pushed the team back into championship contention, but conceded he "takes responsibility" for the result not being stronger. 

Mercedes appeared set to run away with both the drivers' and constructors' titles this term, but with reliability issues plaguing the Silver Arrows, specifically with regard to its power unit, Ferrari has taken full advantage. 

While Mercedes and Kimi Antonelli still hold sizable advantages, Ferrari was a constant threat in Belgium, with both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc showing strong pace.

Ferrari has been criticised in previous years for questionable strategy calls - something Hamilton raised last weekend before being informed that he had a penalty - but the team has made strides forward, and got things right at Spa-Francorchamps. 

"Yeah, definitely really encouraging," said Hamilton when asked about the strategy calls around safety cars. 

"I think the team has been making great decisions with strategy. I think we've really elevated a lot across the board in how we operate on the weekend, and then on Sunday, I think we had the pace to win. Given everything, to come away with the points we did, I'm really grateful."

Of the encouragement taken from closing the points gap across power-sensitive tracks like Silverstone and Spa, Hamilton added: "Just to show that the car is moving in the right direction and really just, uh, it's just down to the team doing such a great job with bringing, um, improvements every weekend."

However, the seven-time champion knows that the weekend could have yielded an even stronger result had it not been for a heavy shunt in qualifying, and a penalty, which has been widely viewed as harsh, for colliding with George Russell on lap one.

"I don't count myself unlucky. I think about my mistake that I made yesterday [in qualifying]," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "So, I take full responsibility really for the fourth place I ended up getting because I damaged the car.

"Then when they rebuilt the car, they missed something on the suspension. The balance was completely different. So that meant I was probably a good couple of tenths, maybe three tenths slower than I should have been in qualifying.

"And then I ended up further back, got in the incident, five-second penalty. So just like a domino effect from a mistake from myself. But the team have been doing a great job with strategy, pitstops. We are continuing to improve the car."

F1 heads this weekend to the Hungaroring, a track that is almost the complete opposite of recent venues, with a focus on high downforce levels and slower speed corners.

Hamilton said: "I need to come correct next week and make sure I deliver the way I know I can deliver in Budapest. We have to come and fight for that one."