If you look back to the final lap of last season, you’d imagine Lewis Hamilton would have the bit between his teeth to come roaring back this term to wrestle his world championship title back from Max Verstappen. However, so far, things haven’t gone to plan. But could Monaco and upcoming races turn his fortunes?

At the time of writing, Lewis Hamilton, arguably most people’s favourite to win the Formula One title this season, is marooned in seventh in the driver standings. He’s seven points adrift of Lando Norris, who races for McLaren, the team sponsored by PartyCasino gaming. And a whopping 58 off Charles Leclerc, who tops the pile for Ferrari. It’s early days as far as the current campaign is concerned, but if Hamilton is to salvage something, he’s going to need to act fast.

So, what’s causing Hamilton’s underperformance? Well, for a start, George Russell, Hamilton’s new teammate, is seriously outperforming him. He’s fourth in the driver standings, and you could go as far as to suggest he is showing he’s at a better level than Nico Rosberg, Hamilton’s former teammate, who he clashed with multiple times.

There could also be a hangover after events in Abu Dhabi on the final day of last season. The thirty-seven-year-old had the title in his grasp. But controversially lost it in the final lap to Max Verstappen, and maybe this is still playing on his mind. However, many expected the Stevenage-born superstar to use this as motivation.

And there’s also the argument that Hamilton isn’t solely to blame for his terrible start to the new season. There have been suggestions that a lot of his success has come via Mercedes’ expertise. And now you could say that they’re failing to deliver for their number one driver. To back up these claims, team manager Toto Wolff was heard apologising to Hamilton over the radio immediately after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which suggests all is not right with the car at present.

The question now is whether Hamilton will recover and find his form? Or, if this is set to be a season of sheer disappointment? Of course, you could look at the current situation the Brit finds himself in and say his numbers are damning, and the signs are not good. And this applies to Hamilton himself, his car and his team. But, there is still plenty of time to make amends.

There is a lot of talk about the Monaco Grand Prix, and it could be a good target, as it will allow Hamilton and Mercedes to get their ducks in order. Hamilton needs to find his focus, motivation and belief between then and now. And Mercedes must work to get his car in the best shape possible to give him a fighting chance. If they can get it together for Monaco, Hamilton still could secure that all-important eight world title.