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.
