“It feels incredible to be part of the fight for the top,” Hamilton said after the Canadian Grand Prix, in which he was nearly seven seconds behind winner Max Verstappen at Red Bull and six seconds behind second-place Carlos Sainz. Ferrari was missing. The result was “quite heavy”.
“I was able to be with the guys for a long time, but eventually they fade away. But this gives me and the team great hope that there is much more to come from this car. If we do the set-up right So is the potential,” said Hamilton, who is not without confidence for the rest of the season. The fact that he finished third at Sachir for the second time ahead of his teammate George Russell – who finished fourth on Sunday – That shouldn’t have bothered Hamilton, who is sixth in the drivers’ standings.
3rd place in Canada for a win like Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton has 103 Grand Prix victories to his credit, but he was still “overwhelmed” by third place on Sunday at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Canada is generally good soil for Hamilton, where he celebrated his first Grand Prix victory at McLaren in 2007, and was on top of the podium seven times in the race. Only Michael Schumacher has done this with him. “Coming here again and feeling the energy of the crowd brought back memories of my first year here. I am very happy,” said Hamilton clearly enjoying the moment.
“A swallow does not heat”
But he also knows that it was primarily a snapshot. Despite the Mercedes duo’s strong showing in Canada, the fight for the world title is no longer an issue. Team owner Toto Wolff sees it the same way. “The train left long ago,” said the Viennese. But the goal is to win the race. “And I think we can do that.”
In any case, Montreal was a step in the right direction. “We have to be happy. We kicked him off the train. That’s fine,” insisted Wolff, but added: “We have to be careful. A swallow doesn’t get hot.”
However, the competition has already been warned. “Mercedes has caught up in a big way,” said Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko. “They looked stronger, stronger than ever. If they are consistently level, they are up in the fight,” said Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc after his fifth.
“Like New Wings”
The change in mood in Hamilton was also an issue in the British press. “Yes, Hamilton was behind winner Max Verstappen… and behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. But when the champagne was sprayed and Hamilton made the most of the sun-drenched day, the 37-year-old Briton at circuit Gilles Villeneuve He looked upbeat again in the U.S., where he took his first 103 wins in the 2007 Mail. And for “The Sun” it was “a great day for Mercedes, which took a significant step forward”.
