Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has admitted that the Scuderia arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix with significant concerns about their competitiveness, as expectations were low following a difficult run of form and the arrival of major upgrades from rivals Mercedes and McLaren.
Instead of falling further behind, however, Lewis Hamilton delivered a standout performance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, securing a second-place finish that far exceeded Ferrari’s internal expectations and marked his strongest Grand Prix result so far in Ferrari colours.
While Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc endured a challenging and inconsistent weekend in Montreal, Lewis Hamilton emerged as the clear reference point for the team, showing strong race pace, strategic awareness, and exceptional tyre management in difficult cold-weather conditions.
Although Lewis Hamilton was unable to challenge race winner Kimi Antonelli for victory, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion produced one of the highlights of the race with a decisive and well-executed battle against Max Verstappen, ultimately securing P2 for Ferrari.
Fred Vasseur admits Ferrari expected difficult Canadian Grand Prix weekend
Speaking after the race to Canal+, Fred Vasseur openly acknowledged that Ferrari had entered the Canadian Grand Prix with a sense of uncertainty and concern. According to the French team principal, both Mercedes and McLaren appeared stronger on paper due to their new technical upgrades introduced ahead of the Montreal event.
Fred Vasseur explained that Ferrari had deliberately chosen to delay their own development updates until the Spanish Grand Prix, a strategic decision that initially led the team to expect a performance deficit relative to their closest rivals during the Canadian weekend.
However, Fred Vasseur admitted that the actual outcome was far more positive than anticipated. Ferrari performed better than expected across all sessions, suggesting that the SF-25 car may be more competitive in specific conditions, particularly on low-grip surfaces and in colder temperatures such as those seen in Montreal.
Fred Vasseur also highlighted that external circumstances played a role in shaping the final result, noting that both Mercedes and McLaren were unable to fully capitalise on their upgraded packages. Mercedes driver George Russell retired from the race due to a battery failure, while McLaren’s race was heavily compromised by strategic errors during changing weather conditions.
Lewis Hamilton himself later suggested that Ferrari’s relative reliability advantage played a key role in securing the strong result, as consistency and execution allowed the team to capitalise on opportunities when rivals faltered.
Lewis Hamilton delivers strongest Ferrari weekend as Charles Leclerc struggles in contrast
For Lewis Hamilton, the Canadian Grand Prix represented a major milestone, delivering his best result since joining Ferrari and reinforcing growing confidence within the team. Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, by contrast, struggled to find consistent performance throughout the weekend, highlighting a clear internal performance gap during the event.
Despite missing out on pole position after a small error in the final Q3 lap, Lewis Hamilton was widely praised internally for maintaining strong pace across the entire weekend. Fred Vasseur noted that, while the final qualifying result did not fully reflect his potential, the overall performance level remained extremely competitive.
Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, was unable to extract maximum performance from the car in the demanding Canadian conditions, reinforcing the perception that Lewis Hamilton adapted more effectively to the low-grip and cold-temperature environment.
Fred Vasseur later explained that Lewis Hamilton appeared in complete control from the very first practice session through to the chequered flag, describing it as the first time the Ferrari driver had maintained such a consistent level of confidence across an entire race weekend since joining the team.
According to Fred Vasseur, this level of sustained performance is particularly important in Formula 1 when conditions are unpredictable. In Canada, low temperatures and limited grip made tyre preparation and energy management especially difficult, and drivers who were more confident with their package were able to gain a significant advantage.
Fred Vasseur concluded that the key difference between Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in Montreal came down to confidence, with Lewis Hamilton appearing more comfortable and decisive throughout the weekend, ultimately allowing him to maximise Ferrari’s potential in challenging circumstances.
With Ferrari continuing to evaluate upgrades and refine performance direction alongside both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, the Canadian Grand Prix may represent an important reference point in the 2025 Formula 1 season as the Scuderia looks to close the gap to Red Bull and McLaren in the championship battle.
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