The seven-time world champion had been on a losing streak of racing since the start of the 2022 season, suffering excessive porpoising in his Mercedes. However, having made what appears to be a slight step forward in Montreal, Hamilton scored his second podium finish of the season by finishing third, behind only Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz.
However, he admitted that he felt much better because that small ‘win’ had come after the team suffered many setbacks in recent weeks: “It’s quite overwhelming, honestly, to get this third place.”
“It’s been a great battle this year with the car and the team, but we remain alert, focused and never give up,” said the Briton. “That’s something I’m very proud of, and I’m inspired by my team, so thanks to everyone here and at the factory.”
The #44 finished the Canadian Grand Prix race just over seven seconds behind winner Max Verstappen, albeit thanks to a safety car that left with 15 laps to go and compressed the pack.
However, he assured that the performance of the Mercedes had been much better compared to the Red Bull and the Ferrari regarding the last races: “They are still too fast for us at the moment”.
“I was giving everything, but we are getting closer, so we have to keep pushing. I hope to be in the fight with them,” said Lewis Hamilton after climbing the podium
Hamilton’s Canada weekend had not started well after a failed experiment with a new floor and extreme setup on Friday, which he called a “disaster” and giving him the “worst day” ever in Montreal.
But he says an epic effort at the Mercedes factory and in the simulator had helped turn things around.
“Honestly, our pace was pretty good, especially in the second phase of the stint,” he said.
“We have worked a lot in the simulator, but also here, to get a good set-up. So, honestly, I am ecstatic. This weekend I did not expect this, and it is my second podium.”
Finally, when asked about the pain in his back that he suffered in the last race in Baku as soon as he got out of the car, the Englishman avoided many explanations and answered with a quick and terse: “Okay, I feel young again”.
