Formula 1 may gain an extra element of unpredictability at the Canadian GP, and Lewis Hamilton believes this could benefit Ferrari. The Briton was satisfied with his qualifying in Montreal, even without reaching the top positions on the grid.
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The seven-time world champion finished very close to securing a place on the second row, less than 0.1 seconds behind Oscar Piastri’s time. Still, the heptachampion highlighted Ferrari’s progress throughout the qualifying session, especially after important changes to the car setup.
“The car was great, we made good changes in qualifying. I expected a better result, but I couldn’t complete my last fast lap,” he said. According to the driver, there was potential for an even stronger performance. “The car seemed to be improving and, honestly, if I had completed that last lap, I probably could have achieved something better,” he added.
Hamilton also explained which car characteristics increased his confidence to push harder on the fast laps. “It’s the brakes, the stability on corner entry, and also the setup I migrated to. I am much more comfortable attacking with the car,” the Ferrari driver highlighted.
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Looking ahead to the race, the Briton admitted that the forecast of rain could help the Italian team reduce the gap to their rivals. “I hope so. I hope this brings us closer to the cars at the front and maybe gives us a chance to fight with them,” he said.
Hamilton also criticized the current F1 rain tires. According to him, the changes involving the thermal blankets have harmed the performance of the extreme compounds. “We are constantly struggling with tires that don’t work. I asked for changes during testing, some were made, but it’s still not enough,” he concluded.
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