Lewis, second, rejoices: “Happy with the sensations I had. An intense battle with Max.” For Charles, a weekend to remember
The mood on opposite sides of the two Ferrari garages in the Montreal paddock couldn’t be more different. Because if on the one hand Lewis Hamilton is celebrating his best race weekend since his arrival in Maranello, on the other Charles Leclerc leaves Canada with a fourth place that cannot make him smile, convinced that the one concluded yesterday was “one of the worst race weekends of my entire career in Formula 1”.
leclerc, missed feeling
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Different positions especially regarding the sensations felt in the car throughout the weekend, which thus push the Prancing Horse drivers towards poles apart positions: “I never had a feeling – the Monegasque simply admitted, looking at his weekend overall – it was a disaster and I struggled a lot, I’m sorry I didn’t do better and I hope that in the next races things will become clearer for me again”. Leclerc will start again from Monaco, his home race, where, unlike Montreal, the excellent driving sensations have never been lacking. In the meantime, he will continue to work with the team to optimize the aerodynamic package brought to Miami and in view of future developments arriving in the European races for the Maranello team. “However, I am happy that things went better for Hamilton, who was truly incredible – added Leclerc – he had fantastic pace throughout the weekend and even if he doesn’t need to prove anything he showed what a champion he is”.
lewis bank
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The Briton, seven times winner of the Canadian Grand Prix in his career, climbed to the second step of the podium at the end of an intense battle with Max Verstappen, third at the checkered flag behind him: “The fight with Max was intense and very beautiful – he said immediately after the race – but above all I’m happy with how the car went and the sensations I had here. Honestly, I don’t think we could ever have caught the Mercedes, they were too fast. We kept the pace for a while but then they separated me and Max when I I was third. We still managed to get a great result, an important step forward, and I’m grateful to the team for the great work they’re doing in the factory, because they’re continuing to push. I know it’s not the result we want to achieve in the end, but today is fine.” A Hamilton who never stops smiling, ready to leave Montreal with the enthusiasm that hasn’t been seen in the eyes of the seven-time world champion for a long time. And if on the one hand Leclerc will have to try to rediscover the best sensations in view of Monaco, on the other side of the garage Hamilton will try to bring the feeling he had with the car during this seasonal event to the Principality too.
STEPS FORWARD
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Positive thoughts, those of Lewis, fueled by the competitiveness of Ferrari on a track like Canada despite the power deficit that the red currently has to manage in comparison with the Mercedes-powered cars: “I want my team to win again because I think that this team has been reduced by many difficult years and deserves to return to fighting at the front. I am working with all of myself, together with Vasseur who is doing a fantastic job as team leader, with our engineers and with all those who work in the factory. It is a long process to make steps forward, but if we can to obtain this result on a track where power is decisive, then I think that on circuits where power has less impact, perhaps we can do even better.” Visions, predictions and hopes, ahead of a season yet to be decided which today sees the Maranello team in second place in the Constructors’ Championship, 72 points behind Mercedes and 41 ahead of McLaren, which emerged as the real defeat of the Montreal weekend just when it seemed ready to take second place in the standings from the red. “But it’s too early to draw conclusions,” reiterated Hamilton, aware of how quickly things – from one race weekend to the next – can change.
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