Hamilton Blames Tyre Blanket Woes for Qualifying Struggles at Canadian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton pointed to underheated tyres as the key factor behind his subpar qualifying performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, where he settled for a P7 grid slot. The Mercedes W15 had shown strong pace throughout the weekend, with Hamilton dominating the final practice session. However, it was his teammate George Russell who clinched pole position at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, while Hamilton struggled to convert his practice speed into a top qualifying result.

The Canadian Grand Prix weekend saw a mix of wet and dry conditions, which added to the challenges faced by the drivers. Hamilton managed to fight his way into contention for a podium spot on race day but ultimately finished in fourth place, narrowly missing out on third to Russell in a late-race duel.

Reflecting on his qualifying issues, Hamilton was vocal about the impact of Mercedes’ tyre blankets, which he claimed consistently left his tyres below the optimal temperature. “The tyres were working throughout the weekend, but come qualifying, every time I left the garage, my tyres were consistently two or three degrees colder than they should have been,” he explained. “You can’t catch that up on the track. It’s something we need to investigate because it definitely affected my performance.”

Mercedes’ Performance Surge at the Canadian Grand Prix

Despite the frustration, Hamilton acknowledged Mercedes’ significant progress with the W15. The car’s enhanced performance in Canada was evident, marking a major step forward for the team. However, Hamilton described his race day performance as one of his worst, admitting to multiple mistakes that cost him a stronger finish.

“It was a really poor performance from me this weekend,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “Besides the issues yesterday, it was mostly down to myself. Today was one of the worst races I’ve driven, with lots of errors. If I had qualified better, I would have been in a much stronger position. It’s something I need to address and improve upon.”

Despite the personal critique, Hamilton expressed gratitude towards his team for their efforts in improving the car. “A big thanks to everyone at the factory for progressing the car. It’s becoming something we can truly fight with, and that’s a huge positive as we move forward into the next phase of the season.”

Looking Ahead for Mercedes

With the Constructors’ Championship heating up, Mercedes currently sits fourth in the standings, trailing McLaren by 88 points. Hamilton remains hopeful about the future, mentioning that more upgrades are on the way for the W15. “We have some more upgrades coming, so it’s going to be a close battle. If I can get my head straight, I believe I can achieve better results,” he stated optimistically.

As Mercedes continues to close the gap on their rivals, all eyes will be on how they leverage their recent advancements in upcoming races. Hamilton’s resolve to improve and the team’s ongoing development efforts suggest a fiercely competitive remainder of the season.