Canadian GP
Lewis Hamilton Hunts Down Max Verstappen for Epic Ferrari Podium at Canadian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton delivered one of his strongest performances since joining Scuderia Ferrari by finishing second at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix after an electrifying duel with Max Verstappen.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion described the late-race battle as “awesome” after chasing down Max Verstappen and overtaking the Red Bull driver in the closing laps at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Lewis Hamilton’s runner-up finish marked his best Grand Prix result with Ferrari and continued his recent upward momentum during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Hamilton Enjoys “The Hunt” Against Verstappen
The battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen became one of the standout moments of the race. After initially losing position to the Dutchman during the opening stages, Hamilton gradually closed a seven-second gap during the second half of the race using impressive pace on medium tyres.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton admitted the chase reminded him of his earliest racing days.
“It was awesome, absolutely awesome to fight with one of the greats,” Lewis Hamilton said. “I love that hunt. My whole life has been about chasing from behind since karting.”
The Ferrari driver finally completed a decisive overtake with six laps remaining by sweeping around the outside of Verstappen into Turn One. He then defended strongly to secure second place behind race winner Kimi Antonelli.
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Ferrari’s Improvements Finally Paying Off
Hamilton praised Ferrari for what he described as “moving mountains” behind the scenes to help him feel more comfortable with the car setup this season.
The British driver revealed he adopted a different preparation approach for the Montreal weekend, working closely with his engineering team to unlock more pace from the SF-26 car.
Hamilton also credited Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur and his race engineers for supporting his adjustments.
“It’s been a difficult journey, but this weekend the car finally felt alive,” Hamilton explained. “I could attack corners properly and really push.”
The podium result follows months of speculation about Hamilton’s struggles adapting to Ferrari machinery after his blockbuster move from Mercedes.
Verstappen Takes First Podium of 2026
Despite losing second place late in the race, Verstappen still secured his first podium finish of the 2026 season for Red Bull Racing.
The reigning world champion admitted he enjoyed racing Hamilton wheel-to-wheel again after several difficult races earlier this year.
“It was very good. We were pushing flat out, and it was fun racing him,” Verstappen said.
The result also helped Red Bull regain momentum after a frustrating start to the campaign under Formula 1’s new technical regulations.
Antonelli Extends Championship Lead
Mercedes rookie sensation Antonelli claimed his fourth consecutive victory after teammate George Russell retired from the lead with a power-unit issue.
Antonelli’s win strengthened his advantage in the championship standings as Formula 1 now heads toward the European summer stretch beginning with the Monaco Grand Prix.
