Unreleased Lewis Hamilton radio highlights Ferrari’s ongoing struggles in Montreal GP qualifying. Lewis Hamilton outqualified Charles Leclerc at the Canadian GP.

Lewis Hamilton remained far from fully satisfied despite finishing ahead of Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in Canadian Grand Prix qualifying at the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. Matching his best grid slot of the season with P5, the Briton appeared frustrated by both the car’s performance and Ferrari’s strategic approach. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, continued to voice concerns about his comfort behind the wheel, as his debut season in red approached its midpoint.

Although Lewis Hamilton managed to beat his Maranello teammate for the second consecutive race—and only the third time all year—he still finished nearly seven-tenths behind George Russell, who clinched pole. Ferrari had shown encouraging pace earlier in the weekend, making the gap particularly disappointing. Hamilton reportedly admitted that his advantage over Charles Leclerc might not have held if the Monegasque hadn’t lost time with a big slide after setting a purple first sector.

Strategy questions loomed large once again for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton was expected to raise concerns in the Saturday evening debrief, as two decisions in particular drew scrutiny. First, Ferrari chose not to run the medium compound tyre, even though it proved surprisingly effective thanks to Pirelli’s aggressive tyre allocation. Rivals like George Russell and Max Verstappen capitalized on the yellow-walled rubber to lock out the front row, while 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli managed to edge Hamilton to secure fourth.

Adding to his frustration, Lewis Hamilton was sent out on fresh softs during Q1, only to be told to abort his lap because he was already safe from elimination. Over team radio, he made clear his displeasure, lamenting what he felt was a waste of tyres. That decision came back to haunt Ferrari in Q3, where Hamilton had to rely on used rubber for his initial attempt—an avoidable situation that seemed more about cautious thinking than necessity.

Although the SF-25 has failed to meet expectations and any substantial improvements appear unlikely at this stage of the season, Ferrari’s strategy team remains under pressure to extract every ounce of potential from a car that lacks consistency. Many of the recent criticisms aimed at Ferrari have focused on race management, including questionable team orders, like their indecision in Miami when asked to swap drivers. Hamilton had voiced his dissatisfaction over the radio then, eager to chase down the cars ahead.

With growing public and internal pressure on Fred Vasseur and his technical staff, expectations for the team’s marquee signing remain sky-high. Yet Lewis Hamilton delivered at least one vintage moment in Montreal: his late-braking move into Turn 10 earned praise from pundits, including Martin Brundle. While Charles Leclerc continued to struggle with unforced errors, the Briton put together a steady, controlled weekend. Carlos Sainz has suggested that Hamilton needs time to fully integrate into the team and adapt to Ferrari’s unique challenges, but according to recent Italian media reports, patience is wearing thin in Maranello.