Antonelli is far ahead, says Hamilton of his title chances

Lewis Hamilton jokingly suggested he might have to sneak into the Mercedes garage and sabotage their cars to have a realistic hope of ​winning a record eighth Formula One title.

The Ferrari driver is third in ‌the standings after eight rounds but 46 points behind Mercedes's Kimi Antonelli.

"Other than me going into the Mercedes garage and undoing the bolts...," said the Briton on Thursday when asked what he had to ​do to make it a championship-winning year and whether it was realistic to ​considered him a title contender.

"I mean, Mercedes is a phenomenal team. You're ⁠seeing them perform at such an amazing level.

"It's really beautiful to see when a ​team is fully in synergy and what they've brought and what they've done this year ​is mighty. I think it's going to take a huge amount for anyone to close them down," added the Briton, who won six of his seven titles with Mercedes.

Mercedes have won seven of eight ​grands prix this season and started every race on pole position.

Italian Antonelli, 19, won ​five in a row -- a sequence ended by Hamilton's first Ferrari win in Spain last month.

That win, ‌and ⁠two second places in the races immediately before that, revived talk of Hamilton challenging for a record eighth title.

"We as a team have to just continue to believe, continue to just stay calm," said Hamilton, also a record nine-time British Grand Prix winner, ahead ​of his home race ​at Silverstone on ⁠Sunday.

"We just have to extract everything we can from each weekend and even, if possible, a little bit more than what performance-wise ​is possible.

"It's also too early (to talk about the title). I mean, ​Kimi is ⁠far ahead, there is still a lot of points ahead and he pulled some more points ahead in the last race. But it’s not over till it’s over. Every single person ⁠is so ​geed up and pushing as much as they ​can, so that’s all I can ever ask for."

Antonelli finished third in Austria last Sunday, a race won by ​Mercedes teammate George Russell, while Hamilton was fifth.