Formula 1 analysts Karun Chandhok and David Croft suggest the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix poses a crucial test for Lewis Hamilton. This assessment follows what was arguably the seven-time world champion`s most challenging race for Ferrari to date at the recent Spanish Grand Prix.
In Barcelona, Hamilton was significantly outpaced by his teammate, Charles Leclerc, to a surprising extent. While he did secure a Sprint victory earlier in the season in China, Hamilton is yet to achieve a main Grand Prix podium finish after nine races with the Italian team, whereas Leclerc has claimed three.
Still feeling the disappointment from his Spanish performance, Hamilton heads to Canada this week, a venue where he secured his very first Formula 1 victory. He is clearly in need of a strong result to shift his momentum.
Analysts` Views on Hamilton`s Form
Speaking on The F1 Show, Karun Chandhok remarked that the situation is becoming “a bit critical.” He noted that Hamilton hasn`t consistently found a comfortable rhythm with the car as the season enters its second third. Chandhok highlighted the variability in Hamilton`s performance, pointing to weekends like Imola, where qualifying was poor but race pace was strong, and Monaco, where he was notably off Leclerc`s pace.
“There`s got to be a degree of concern creeping in,” Chandhok stated, citing the significant gap to Leclerc in Spain as particularly worrying. He questioned whether this suggests a fundamental issue with finding a suitable car setup for Hamilton. While acknowledging Hamilton`s undiminished ability to win races, as seen in China, Chandhok emphasized the team`s struggle to find a consistent “sweet spot” for him, leading to excessive fluctuations between good and bad weekends.
Potential Morale Boost and Canadian Opportunity
Following the Spanish GP, Hamilton attributed his performance deficit to his own driving. However, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur later mentioned that a car issue had affected Hamilton`s pace in the final part of the race. Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft suggested that confirming a technical problem, even if not fully specified by Ferrari, could offer Hamilton a crucial morale boost.
Croft noted Hamilton`s low spirits after the Spain race. If there was a fundamental car issue, understanding it could help Hamilton and the team move forward, providing an explanation beyond just driver performance. Croft sees the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as an ideal opportunity for Hamilton to recover his form. It`s a track where he has a strong record, with seven victories and six pole positions, and was the site of his maiden F1 win.
“This is Lewis Hamilton`s track,” Croft commented, stressing the importance of a strong showing. He believes that another disappointing result similar to Barcelona would signal deeper concerns, but remains confident in the seven-time world champion`s ability to turn his performance around at a circuit he knows and loves so well.
