Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton faces a vital weekend on the Canadian Grand Prix on the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, as highlighted by Sky Sports activities F1 analysts Karun Chandhok and David Croft. The seven-time world champion just lately endured what many contemplate his most difficult race to this point with Ferrari on the Spanish Grand Prix, the place he was surprisingly outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc in Barcelona. Though the Briton secured a Dash race victory earlier within the season in China, he stays with no full Grand Prix podium after 9 races with Ferrari, whereas Leclerc has already claimed three.
Following his disappointing efficiency on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Lewis Hamilton returns this week to Canada—the location of his first Method 1 victory—hoping for a turnaround to regain momentum. Karun Chandhok expressed on the newest episode of The F1 Present that the scenario is changing into more and more vital for the British driver. He famous that the season is now getting into its center part, and Hamilton has but to discover a constant rhythm or really feel absolutely comfy with the automobile. Chandhok identified that Lewis Hamilton’s performances have been inconsistent, resembling being poor in qualifying at Imola however robust within the race, and never fairly matching Charles Leclerc in Monte Carlo, the place he remained effectively behind his Maranello teammate.
Karun Chandhok indicated rising concern concerning the kind for the previous Mercedes driver, particularly after the Spanish Grand Prix weekend in Barcelona, the place Charles Leclerc overtook and pulled away comfortably even earlier than tyre methods got here into play. After a troublesome 2024 Method 1 season by which Hamilton was outperformed by his Mercedes teammate George Russell, many hoped his change to Ferrari would revive his competitiveness, however the sample of struggles has largely persevered. Chandhok added that if he have been in Hamilton’s place, he could be apprehensive. With practically half the season gone, it’s time to assess whether or not there are elementary points with the automobile’s setup that want addressing.
He emphasised that the Briton’s expertise stays simple—evidenced by his China win—however the workforce nonetheless wants to search out the proper steadiness for him to really feel assured each race weekend. At the moment, Hamilton experiences an excessive amount of fluctuation between robust and weak performances, which impacts his general outcomes.
Relating to Hamilton’s morale, there was some dialogue about whether or not he might need acquired a lift after latest revelations a couple of automobile challenge. Whereas Hamilton himself attributed his efficiency deficit to his personal driving after the Spanish GP, Ferrari workforce principal Frederic Vasseur later disclosed {that a} mechanical drawback affected Hamilton’s efficiency within the last stint. Though Hamilton didn’t publicly point out the difficulty, David Croft prompt that understanding the issue might need helped Hamilton’s morale.
David Croft defined that Hamilton was visibly down after Spain and that Ferrari didn’t specify the precise drawback. Fred Vasseur’s affirmation of a automobile challenge within the closing levels signifies Hamilton’s lack of race tempo was not solely as a result of driver efficiency. The British tv broadcaster for Sky Sports activities reasoned that going again to the drafting board to establish and repair the issue may function a morale booster for Lewis Hamilton, realizing that his struggles weren’t fully his fault.
Hamilton has a powerful report in Canada, with six pole positions and 7 race wins on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, together with his final victory in 2019. Croft believes that this observe may very well be the best venue for Lewis Hamilton to regain his kind. He remarked that Canada is likely one of the Briton’s favourite circuits and a spot the place he has traditionally carried out effectively, securing each his first pole and first F1 victory there. Croft acknowledged that if Hamilton has one other disappointing weekend related to Barcelona, it might sign deeper points. Nonetheless, he expressed confidence that the seven-time world champion has the flexibility to reverse his fortunes at this important level within the season.
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