Lewis Hamilton delivered his most convincing performance yet in Ferrari colours on Sunday, charging to second place at the Canadian Grand Prix after a late duel with Max Verstappen that finally offered a glimpse of the partnership many expected when the seven-time Formula One champion joined the Italian giants.
At Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Hamilton looked sharper, more aggressive and more comfortable than at any stage of his Ferrari stint, passing Verstappen in the closing laps to secure only his second podium finish of the season after March’s Chinese Grand Prix.
The result carried extra weight for Ferrari given the nature of the circuit, where straight-line speed has often exposed the team’s weaknesses. Yet Hamilton not only stayed in the fight, he hunted down one of his greatest rivals in the sport’s closing stages and emerged on top.
“Awesome to fight with one of the greats,” Hamilton said after climbing out of the car. “Very challenging behind him, but I loved that hunt. My whole life has been about that since I was a kid in a really old go-kart. I was always hunting. It was amazing to be back in that position again.”
The breakthrough followed a significant change in approach behind the scenes. Hamilton revealed he abandoned his usual preparation methods for the weekend, choosing not to rely heavily on simulator work and instead focusing on data analysis to shape a setup better suited to his driving style.
The gamble paid off immediately.
“I chose a different setup this weekend through working through the data with my engineer,” Hamilton said. “I was finally able to attack all the corners.”
Hamilton praised Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur for backing several requests aimed at making the car more comfortable and responsive, saying the Frenchman had been “moving mountains” to help unlock performance.
“There’s a lot of changes I’ve had to ask for, and Fred’s been super supportive,” Hamilton said. “It’s finally starting to show in my performance.”
The 41-year-old also singled out his engineering crew for helping him navigate a difficult start to life at Ferrari, including Cedric Santi, who stepped into the role previously occupied by veteran engineer Riccardo Adami earlier this year.
“I’m really grateful to the team for continuing to support me weekend after weekend,” Hamilton said. “It’s a lovely feeling to see them so happy because they truly deserve it for all the work they’ve put in.”
Hamilton’s charge gathered momentum after George Russell retired from the lead, setting up a tense late-race battle with Verstappen for second place. The Ferrari driver briefly lost ground to the Red Bull star earlier in the race before reeling him back in during the closing laps.
When the decisive moment arrived, Hamilton swept around the outside at Turn 1 to complete the move and ignite celebrations on the Ferrari pit wall.
The performance marked another emotional milestone in Hamilton’s long search for competitiveness with Ferrari after a demanding opening stretch to the season.
“This is my first second place with the team,” Hamilton said. “It’s something I’ve been working so hard for. I can’t explain how deep I’ve had to dig to get to this point.”
While Ferrari celebrated a breakthrough afternoon, McLaren endured chaos. Both drivers started on intermediate tyres while rivals opted for slicks, forcing an early correction that ruined their race strategy before Lando Norris retired with a reliability issue.
Their struggles opened the door for Hamilton and Verstappen to capitalize, with the Dutchman claiming his first podium finish of the season.
Verstappen admitted McLaren’s mistakes played a major role in the result but used the opportunity to again voice frustration with Formula One’s current regulations and push for planned engine rule adjustments.
“Us drivers, give us any kind of car and we will give you a good show,” Verstappen said. “It has nothing to do with the car, it just needs to be more pure motorsport.”
The Red Bull driver reiterated support for proposed engine changes that would shift more power back toward the internal combustion engine from 2027 onward, arguing modern Formula One machinery has drifted too far from the sport’s roots.
