Before the Canadian GP, Mercedes’ drivers failed to land a podium finish in the first eight races of the 2024 season. Come Montreal, and they were right in the mix for a race win. While P1 eventually slipped out of the hands of Mercedes pole-sitter George Russell, Lewis Hamilton feels that he had a fair chance too. Only a few factors prevented him from getting his first F1 victory since 2021.
Hamilton’s qualifying session was disappointing and he started the race from P7. However, rain gave rise to several chaotic moments during the Grand Prix, owing to the track’s ever-changing conditions. It gave Hamilton the perfect opportunity to pull an unlikely result of the blue.
Hamilton did make up three places and finish P4. But he rues missing out on the win, which eventually went to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. In an interview with Lawrence Barretto, Hamilton said,
“Qualifying, put myself back there then I was stuck behind Fernando for a long long time as you would expect. Then lost a lot of ground, went off… But anyways, the positive is the car is progressing and moving forwards. I think if I qualified the way I should’ve I would’ve been competing for the win. So that’s why it’s quite frustrating.”
#CanadianGP | Lawrence Barretto tells Lewis it looked like he enjoyed himself from the outside.
Lewis Hamilton: “It wasn’t really the case in the car. It wasn’t a positive race for me. It felt like one of my worst drives that I’ve had. Bits of good speed at some points but…
— deni (@fiagirly) June 9, 2024
Frustrations began for Hamilton on Saturday itself, when Russell outqualified him for the eight time this campaign. Hamilton, however, was less than three-tenths of a second from Russell’s pole-lap time, showcasing how slim the margins actually were.
How Fernando Alonso’s valiant defense ruined Lewis Hamilton’s winning chances
For a team that hasn’t had a podium finish so far, P2 and P4 is a welcome change. It shows that the development is on the right path. However, Hamilton is far from satisfied with his race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The Briton managed his race brilliantly but had to pull out a special move to get past Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard defended valiantly for several laps, eating into Hamilton’s tires. That set the 39-year-old back in his bid to fight for a potential race win. The superior stint on hards which he used to fight with his teammate and the resurgent McLarens only saw him finish ahead of Oscar Piastri.
Mercedes is eagerly waiting for the race in Barcelona to gather some crucial data on the upgrades they brought to this track. If the package continues to draw similar performance in Spain, Hamilton might get another chance to pull one back on the reigning champion Verstappen and for once (this season), on his own teammate Russell.
