In a perplexing turn of events during the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton found himself grappling with an unexpected loss of car performance, culminating in a seventh-place finish. Despite the setback, Hamilton’s teammate George Russell secured a morale-boosting pole position, shining a spotlight on both the team’s progress and individual struggles.
During a post-qualifying interview with Sky Sports F1, the seven-time champion commented:
“Firstly, congratulations to George for a great job. It’s really great for the team. Obviously everyone has worked so hard to bring upgrades back at the factory, so this will be a real huge boost for everyone back at the factory.”
Throughout the weekend, Hamilton experienced what he described as excellent car dynamics, only to face a sudden and baffling drop in performance once qualifying commenced. He continued:
“The car was feeling great all weekend and as soon as we got to qualifying, that kind of vanished for me.
“The grip just disappears for me. P3, I had plenty of pace in me, and then get to qualifying and the tyres won’t work.”
The British driver went on to confirm that “nothing had changed in the car” in terms of set-up.
Interestingly, while Hamilton struggled, Russell showcased the potential of Mercedes’ upgrades, managing to fend off Verstappen and secure pole position, setting the stage for an intriguing race day dynamic.
Looking ahead, Mercedes faces the dual task of maintaining their momentum through Russell’s front-row start while deciphering the abrupt loss of grip that hampered Hamilton.