Right after Mercedes celebrated their first podium of the 2024 season at the Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton’s reaction was far from joyful. The seven-time world champion finished in fourth place, which would be a triumph for many, but for Hamilton, it was a disappointment he couldn’t hide.
In a season full of ups and downs, Hamilton’s fourth-place finish in Canada was a mixed bag. Despite his team’s celebration, Hamilton was deeply unsatisfied with his own performance. He was highly critical of himself, openly admitting to a weekend riddled with mistakes and missed opportunities.
“On the one hand, I’m happy that we’re making progress and that we can take positives from the weekend,” said Hamilton. Nevertheless, he didn’t mince words about his own showing. “Yesterday was a pretty disastrous afternoon and today’s race was pretty shocking from my point of view,” he added. “Over the weekend, that was a really bad performance from me.”
He pointed out various factors that played into his struggles but didn’t shy away from taking the blame, calling it one of the worst races he’s ever driven. After initially impressing during Saturday’s third practice session, where Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff described his long run as ‘stratospheric,’ Hamilton couldn’t carry that momentum into the qualifying sessions. While his teammate George Russell secured pole position next to world champion Max Verstappen, Hamilton was left to start from seventh place.
His starting position put him behind Fernando Alonso, making the initial stages of the race challenging. A slow pit stop by Aston Martin allowed Hamilton to pass Alonso, but his subsequent strategy decisions didn’t pay off. He switched to slicks too early, losing valuable time instead of gaining a competitive edge.
During a Safety Car period, the Mercedes team opted for a split tyre strategy, giving Hamilton hard tyres and Russell medium tyres. This decision puzzled Hamilton. “He was on the medium tyre, which was much faster,” he said. “The medium was really fast, but then I went on the hard and the grip was terrible. I didn’t even know he was on the medium, otherwise I would have stayed on the medium.” Despite his confusion, team principal Toto Wolff later clarified that the tyre choices wouldn’t have altered the race’s outcome.
The in-team rivalry was evident but respectful. “I am used to a lot worse from previous years with Nico [Rosberg] and Lewis,” Wolff told ServusTV. Both drivers were allowed to race freely, and although Russell eventually finished on the podium, Hamilton still recognized the car’s potential. “The car was capable of winning this weekend,” he stated. “So it’s not a great feeling. But we’ll take the points and keep trying.”
Despite his frustration, Hamilton thanked his team and looked ahead with optimism. “A big thank you to everyone at the factory because it has become a car that we can fight with. That is the really positive thing for the next part of the season.” He remains hopeful for future improvements and aims to achieve better results. “I know we’re hopefully going to get some upgrades as we go along. So it’s going to be a close battle and if I keep my head on straight, I’ll get better results eventually.”
Hamilton’s mixed feelings about the Canadian Grand Prix reflect the challenges and complexities of racing at the highest level. While Mercedes enjoyed a milestone with their first podium of the year, Hamilton’s dissatisfaction reveals the high standards he sets for himself and his relentless drive for excellence.
