Can Hamilton spring a surprise in Canada? 'Didn't finish my best lap'
F1 News
All attention is on McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing in Canada, but Lewis Hamilton reports he is feeling confident with the Mercedes car after the first day of running. Hamilton will be looking to spring a surprise after failing to finish a Grand Prix inside the top five so far this season.
Hamilton's best result came during the sprint race in China. In fact, Hamilton almost secured pole position for the sprint in challenging wet conditions, so the Brit still knows how to get the best out of the car when the track is wet.
Can Hamilton surprise in the Canadian Grand Prix?
Rain fell during the first day of practice in Canada, and it's also forecast for the rest of this weekend with a strong chance of rain in qualifying. Hamilton reports he pushed his mechanics to get out early on Friday so he could experience the rain and the new surface in preparation for more tough conditions.
"It felt great out there today. I was raring to go throughout, no matter what the conditions. I was pleased that we were able to maximise our time on the track, as that is what is needed around a circuit like this. It's all about building your pace. Today, it was also about understanding the conditions plus the new surface they've laid," Hamilton said.
"The car felt strong throughout and I didn't even get to finish what would have been my fastest lap," he added. The seven-time World Champion is fitted with a new engine this weekend and finished fourth in FP1. He dropped down slightly to P7 in FP2. Last time out in Monaco, Hamilton experienced another positive Friday only to be out-qualified by George Russell. After Hamilton claimed he's not expecting to beat Russell in qualifying for the rest of the season, and he remains cautious in Montreal.
"Recently, Saturdays have proved more challenging for us, but I feel confident out there and that the car is reacting to my inputs. Ultimately, we won't know until tomorrow afternoon just where we are in the order but today was a really good day overall," he concluded.
Hamilton previously expressed his love for the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Brit won his first Formula 1 race at the venue in 2007 and went on to match Michael Schumacher's impressive record around Montreal with seven additional victories. Though he hasn't won there since 2019.