After a notably difficult Spanish Grand Prix where he was significantly outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton`s upcoming weekend in Canada is deemed `critical`, according to analysts.
Despite a Sprint victory in China earlier this season, Hamilton has yet to secure a Grand Prix podium finish for Ferrari after nine races, while Leclerc has achieved three.
Hamilton, who was visibly disappointed after his Spanish GP performance, heads to Canada – the location of his first F1 win – needing a result that can shift his season`s momentum.
Speaking on a recent show, analyst Karun Chandhok commented, “It`s starting to get a bit critical. We`re approaching the two-thirds mark of the season, and he`s not finding his rhythm or consistency where he feels comfortable with the car week after week.”
“In Imola, his qualifying was poor, but then the car was great in the race. In Monaco, he wasn`t quite there either, consistently trailing Charles.”
“There has to be a degree of concern emerging. Looking at Spain, the way Charles overtook him and pulled away quite easily, even before tire strategies came into play later on…”
His current struggles echo the pattern from his disappointing 2024 season at Mercedes, where George Russell often had the upper hand. Hopes that the move to Ferrari would revitalize his performance haven`t fully materialized yet.
Chandhok concluded, “If I were working on Lewis`s side of the garage, I`d be worried. We`re nearing the halfway point of the year, and we need to determine if this is a fundamental problem requiring a change in the car`s setup direction.”
“I`m not questioning his ability – he clearly still has it, as shown by his Sprint win in China. However, Ferrari needs to find a setup `sweet spot` for him, something consistent every weekend, and they haven`t achieved that yet.”
“He`s still experiencing too many ups and downs. The variability is excessive.”
Did Hamilton Get a Morale Boost?
Although Hamilton himself took responsibility for the large gap to Leclerc in Spain, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur later stated that a car issue had affected Hamilton`s performance in the final laps.
Hamilton didn`t mention any car problem when speaking to the media post-race. However, commentator David Croft believes gaining clarity on the situation might have offered him a morale boost.
Croft noted, “He was quite dejected after Spain. Ferrari didn`t specify the exact nature of the problem, but according to Fred Vasseur, there was an issue with the car during the final stint which hindered him.”
“He lacked race pace for the initial two-thirds of the race anyway, not just the end. After such a race, you return to base, review the data, and identify the root cause.”
“If there was indeed a fundamental issue with the car, I believe that would provide a morale boost for Lewis, explaining the performance gap.”
Hamilton has a strong record in Canada, with six poles and seven wins (most recently in 2019). Croft suggests the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve could be the ideal venue for the driver to regain his form.
Croft stated, “I think this upcoming race is quite crucial for Lewis because Canada is a track where he performs exceptionally well. It`s a place he enjoys, and it`s where he secured both his first pole position and his first victory.”
“This circuit is historically strong for Lewis Hamilton. If he experiences another poor weekend similar to Barcelona, then there are definitely underlying issues.”
“However, if anyone has the capability to overcome this and turn things around, it`s the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton.”
Wesley Dunham 
Gilbert Pendleton