Lewis Hamilton produced his finest performance yet as a Ferrari driver, delivering a sensational second-place finish in the Canadian Grand Prix and offering fresh optimism about the Scuderia’s progress. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion also relished a long-awaited on-track fight with Max Verstappen, describing the battle as a welcome return to genuine wheel-to-wheel racing.
Lewis Hamilton steals the spotlight in Montreal
On the same circuit where he claimed his first-ever Formula 1 victory 19 years ago, Lewis Hamilton may have marked the beginning of a new chapter at the age of 41. While George Russell’s retirement undoubtedly helped Ferrari climb the order, the second-place finish in Montreal still felt like something far more significant for the British driver: a genuine resurgence.
Lewis Hamilton had never looked this competitive behind the wheel of a Ferrari, and perhaps for the first time in the past year and a half, he completely dominated the internal battle with Charles Leclerc. The numbers tell the story, with the Briton crossing the line 34 seconds ahead of his Ferrari teammate.
To complete an almost perfect day, car number 44 also came out on top in a fierce duel against long-time rival Max Verstappen. It was a battle between two champions, but one that ended with handshakes, embraces, and mutual respect in a striking contrast to some of their more explosive past encounters. For one afternoon, Lewis Hamilton looked fully restored among Formula 1’s elite.
“Could we have done anything more? No, I don’t think so. We would never have been able to catch the Mercedes today, they were too fast,” Lewis Hamilton told Sky Sport, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment – “We kept the pace for a while, but then they pulled away from me and Max when I was running third. Maybe the battle would have been a little easier if I had managed to catch Max earlier, but then when I locked up, I went straight on and had to work really hard to close the gap again.” – he added.
“But we managed to do it, and I’m grateful to everyone for the great work they’re doing at the factory, because they keep pushing. I know this isn’t the result we ultimately want to achieve, but for today, this is okay.”
Praise for Kimi Antonelli and belief in Ferrari’s future
The most successful driver in Formula 1 history also had warm words for championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who secured his fourth consecutive victory.
“Do I see myself in him? No, I don’t see myself when I look at him. But he is a little younger than me, let’s say,” Lewis Hamilton joked – “He took over my role at Mercedes and he’s doing a fantastic job. He has an incredible team behind him and I’m unbelievably happy for him and for the team. I was with them for so long, so if we’re not winning, I hope they are. It brings joy to my heart to see them winning, but I want to bring my current team, this one, back to the top. Because I think this team has come through many difficult years and deserves to return to fighting at the front.
“So I’m giving everything I have, together with Fred, who is doing a fantastic job as team leader, with our engineers and everyone working at the factory. It’s a long process to make progress, but if we can achieve this result on a track where power is so important, then I think on circuits where power matters less, maybe we can do even better.”
Hamilton on the Verstappen duel: “A real battle”
Speaking to French broadcaster Canal+, Lewis Hamilton also reflected on his renewed battle with Max Verstappen, a contest that briefly brought back memories of their unforgettable 2021 title fight.
“It was nice to be back fighting with Max,” the British Ferrari driver said.
“It doesn’t happen often that we find ourselves evenly matched in terms of power and pace. I could see that he had more power, but maybe we had more grip. But we managed to have a real battle.”
Lewis Hamilton’s milestone second-place finish at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix highlights his rapid adaptation to Scuderia Ferrari’s operational framework. By unlocking the car’s ideal balance window and executing a clinical late-race overtake on Max Verstappen, the veteran champion has vindicated Maranello’s long-run development strategy at a venue that historically penalizes drag-heavy chassis architectures. Hamilton’s post-race comments regarding Ferrari’s performance on power-sensitive straightaways send an encouraging signal to the entire factory ahead of the intensive European leg. As the technical department works to introduce highly anticipated aerodynamic upgrades in upcoming rounds, Hamilton’s mounting confidence and sharp racing intelligence provide a robust competitive baseline. If the engineering team can continually refine their single-lap efficiency to supplement this strong race-stint execution, Ferrari will cement its status as a premium threat for outright race victories.
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