British media stunned by 'best we’ve seen' Hamilton in Canadian GP

British media highlighted Lewis Hamilton's superb performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, where the seven-time world champion secured his second podium finish with Ferrari after pulling off a spectacular move around the outside of Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race, eventually finishing behind Kimi Antonelli.

The seven-time world champion looked competitive throughout the entire weekend, with only a couple of small mistakes on his decisive qualifying lap denying him a place on the second row. In the race, however, helped both by McLaren’s strategic misjudgement and George Russell’s retirement, the Brit found himself firmly in podium contention from the very beginning, showcasing impressive pace before eventually catching Verstappen and overtaking him with a superb move into Turn 1.

Why it matters:

• Hamilton's strong showing signals a potential turning point in his difficult first season with Ferrari, as he finally appears comfortable in the car and able to extract its full potential.
• The performance also demonstrates Ferrari's progress in closing the gap to the frontrunners, with Hamilton proving he can still battle wheel-to-wheel with his longtime rival Verstappen.

The details:

• BBC: Praised Hamilton's performance throughout the weekend, noting he looked more comfortable and competitive than at any other point this season. The outlet highlighted that Hamilton had the upper hand over teammate Charles Leclerc from the very beginning and that second place was the maximum result Ferrari could realistically achieve.
  • Quote: "On top of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc from the get go. Happy, all smiles and the best we've seen Hamilton across a weekend so far."
• The Guardian: Focused on Hamilton's satisfaction after securing second place, underlining his enthusiasm for being back in intense wheel-to-wheel battles with Verstappen. The newspaper noted that his first season with the Scuderia had been enormously difficult with an uncompetitive car, but he now feels they are working together well.
  • Quote: "Lewis Hamilton was thrilled... he called it 'the greatest job in the world' after a great fight with his old adversary."
• The Telegraph: Praised Hamilton's drive in particular, highlighting how he chased Verstappen down in the closing stages before passing him with a brilliant move at the start of lap 62 to secure second place.
  • Quote: "Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton eventually claimed second place after hunting down Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and passing the Dutch driver with a brilliant move."

What's next:

• Hamilton's improved form raises expectations for upcoming races, as Ferrari continues to develop the car and the driver-team relationship strengthens.
• The result also puts pressure on teammate Charles Leclerc to match Hamilton's pace, potentially intensifying the internal dynamic at Maranello.