14/06/2025 23:00
Lewis Hamilton has shrugged off the idea he needs a big weekend in
F1, arguing he is not "in desperate need of one" at the Canadian
Grand Prix. The British driver enters the tenth round of his
Ferrari tenure having endured a disappointing start to life with
the Maranello-based team. Despite winning the sprint at the Chinese
Grand Prix and finishing third in the shorter race in Miami, he has
otherwise had to settle for points finishes in his first year with
the Scuderia. Hamilton is sixth in the drivers' standings on 71
points, 23 adrift of team-mate Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque
driver has claimed three podium finishes in the past five rounds.
However, it is a far cry from what was anticipated for the campaign
after running McLaren close in the constructors' championship last
season. This term, Ferrari is already 197 points behind in those
standings. Combined, it has significantly subverted the high
expectations that accompanied Hamilton to the Italian squad when he
left Mercedes at the end of last season. Nonetheless, Hamilton, who
has won in Montreal on seven occasions - a joint record with
Michael Schumacher - believes the situation at Ferrari appears
worse on the outside looking in. "I don't feel that I'm searching,"
the seven-time F1 drivers' champion told media, including
RacingNews365 , when asked if he needs a strong weekend at the
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. "Of course, a good weekend is always a
good thing, but I don't feel like I'm in desperate need of one. I
think it looks a lot worse outside than it probably is on the
inside." Prime example To illustrate how things are developing
behind closed doors at Ferrari, Hamilton explained the gradual
process of working with his engineers to refine processes and
approach - as well as finding the "sweet spot" of the SF-25. "Even
just coming from engineering now – how they set the car up compared
to any other year that I've been here is completely different," the
105-time grand prix winner said. "And having discussions with
engineers to change things… There's a certain way they like to work
ands it's, 'hold on a second – that doesn't actually make sense'.
"Like, this is what I've done for the last 17, 18 years here, and
it's worked in a lot of them. So, getting those things to
consistently work with the team and making sure you're working in a
constructive way to make changes. "The car has a real sweet spot,
and we're trying to get it working at all those tracks, which
everyone's having a struggle with. Yeah. I'm hoping this weekend
can be strong."
