Max Verstappen has revealed that Lewis Hamilton came extremely close to committing the same strategic error as McLaren on the Canadian Grand Prix grid, in a moment that could have completely changed the outcome of the race for Ferrari at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The Red Bull driver, who started alongside Lewis Hamilton on the third row, described how the Ferrari driver almost began the race on intermediate tyres in the same way McLaren attempted in unpredictable conditions, before a late decision change saved his race before lights out.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen originally lined up in fifth and sixth positions respectively, but the race order quickly evolved after George Russell’s retirement and McLaren’s early strategic collapse. These developments promoted both drivers into a direct fight for second place behind eventual race winner Kimi Antonelli.
Lewis Hamilton nearly follows McLaren’s risky intermediate tyre strategy in Canada
During a tense and changeable pre-race period in Montreal, McLaren made the bold decision to start both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on intermediate tyres, despite only light drizzle affecting parts of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. They were the only team inside the top ten to take that aggressive approach.
Although the track surface was largely dry, concerns over tyre warm-up and grip levels in the early laps influenced strategic thinking across the grid. McLaren initially appeared to have made the right call when Lando Norris briefly gained positions from third on the grid, but that advantage quickly disappeared.
By the end of lap two, McLaren were forced to pit both cars as it became clear the intermediate tyre gamble had failed. Lando Norris dropped out of contention and would later retire due to a gearbox issue, while Oscar Piastri also struggled significantly and eventually finished outside the points after receiving a penalty.
According to Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton was also very close to making the same decision on the Ferrari side of the garage. Speaking in the post-race cool-down room while watching race highlights, Max Verstappen confirmed that Lewis Hamilton nearly started the Canadian Grand Prix on intermediate tyres before a last-minute switch to slicks was made.
Lewis Hamilton himself acknowledged during the replay that McLaren had made a costly strategic error, while Max Verstappen responded by confirming that he had seen Lewis Hamilton switch tyre choice at the final moment on the grid, avoiding what could have been a race-defining mistake for Ferrari.
That late adjustment proved crucial, as starting on the wrong tyre compound in evolving conditions would likely have eliminated Lewis Hamilton from podium contention and significantly altered Ferrari’s race strategy from the opening laps.
Ferrari hesitation and tyre concerns reflected wider uncertainty in Montreal
The incident also highlighted how uncertain conditions were across the Formula 1 paddock in Canada. Multiple teams struggled to interpret track evolution correctly, with tyre temperature management and grip levels proving extremely difficult during the formation lap.
Lewis Hamilton was heard reporting concerns about tyre temperatures before the start, reinforcing the idea that Ferrari were actively considering alternative strategies, including the possibility of starting on intermediate tyres in response to the damp conditions.
Ultimately, Ferrari’s decision to switch Lewis Hamilton onto slick tyres at the last moment proved decisive in allowing him to stay in contention throughout the race and fight his way into a strong position later in the Grand Prix.
Without that adjustment, Lewis Hamilton would likely have faced the same early setback as McLaren, whose gamble quickly unravelled as conditions stabilised far faster than expected.
Max Verstappen’s reaction highlights strategic chaos at Canadian Grand Prix
After the race, Max Verstappen appeared to take a light-hearted approach to McLaren’s strategy failure during the post-race press conference, sarcastically describing their decision as a “great call” while reflecting on how quickly it backfired in race conditions.
His comments underlined just how unpredictable the Canadian Grand Prix had been from a strategic perspective, with multiple teams forced to react rapidly to shifting weather patterns and evolving track grip.
For Ferrari, the key takeaway was not only Lewis Hamilton’s strong recovery drive and eventual podium-level performance, but also the importance of making correct split-second decisions before the race even begins.
As the 2025 Formula 1 season progresses, Ferrari will be encouraged that Lewis Hamilton was able to avoid early strategic disaster and still convert a potentially difficult weekend into one of his strongest performances since joining the team, while Charles Leclerc continues to search for greater consistency in similar high-pressure conditions.
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