Lewis Hamilton Urges Ferrari to Keep Pushing After Best Result

Lewis Hamilton secured his best result since joining Ferrari, finishing second in Montreal after a thrilling late-race overtake on Max Verstappen. Despite the milestone, the seven-time champion urged his team to keep pushing to close the gap to the championship leaders.

Why it matters

After struggling to find consistent pace since his move to Maranello last year, Hamilton's podium represents a crucial breakthrough. Ferrari appeared competitive early in the season but recently lost ground to McLaren. Proving strong on a low-downforce, power-sensitive circuit like Montreal—a traditional weakness for the Scuderia—validates their recent development path and signals a potential resurgence.

The details

• Hamilton started fifth and capitalized on McLaren's strategic misstep with intermediate tires in unsuitable conditions to gain early track position.
• He spent the bulk of the grand prix hunting down Verstappen before executing a decisive pass in the closing stages.
• Upgrade comparison: While Mercedes and others brought significant upgrade packages to Canada, Ferrari's major update arrived in Miami. Matching their pace on a straight-line circuit gives the team confidence in their current platform.
• Emotional boost: Hamilton highlighted the emotional significance of the result, praising the team's unwavering support during a tough adaptation period and expressing his love for the Montreal track.

What's next

Hamilton emphasized that Montreal's result is just a starting point, noting that the factory is working hard on further developments. If Ferrari can extract more performance from upcoming aero bits and continue to refine their package, they could firmly re-enter the fight at the front of the grid.