Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, faced an unexpected challenge during the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session. Despite showing strong pace throughout the weekend, he encountered a sudden drop in performance when it mattered most.
The cause of the temperature discrepancy remained unclear. Hamilton speculated that something went wrong with the tire blankets—the heated covers used to maintain tire temperature.
#CanadianGP 🇨🇦 | Lewis Hamilton opened up further about his qualifying hindrances:
“Well, the tyres were working throughout the weekend, then we got to qualifying and every time I went out of the garage, my tyres were for some reason below on temperature.”
“Every set was two or… pic.twitter.com/MnyRhCp77t
— deni (@fiagirly) June 10, 2024
Without the proper tire temperature, he couldn’t switch the tires on effectively, leading to a subpar qualifying performance. He said, “Well, the tyres were working throughout the weekend, then we got to qualifying and every time I went out of the garage, my tyres were for some reason below on temperature.”
Hamilton expressed frustration as his tires consistently operated at temperatures lower than expected during qualifying. He revealed that every set of tires was two to three degrees below the optimal range.
The inability to bring the tires up to the right temperature affected his performance, preventing him from extracting maximum grip and performance from the car. Hamilton emphasized that this issue was critical and needed further investigation by the team.
Lewis Hamilton’s Weekend Overview
Hamilton led the final practice session on Saturday, outpacing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and his teammate George Russell. The upgraded Mercedes demonstrated improved performance, raising hopes for a competitive qualifying session. However, when qualifying arrived, Hamilton found himself unable to match the pace of his rivals due to tire-related issues.
Despite the setback, Lewis Hamilton acknowledged the progress made by the Mercedes team. He believed that if he had qualified as expected, he would have been a contender for victory. The car’s overall development was a positive sign, even though the weekend didn’t go as planned.
Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying struggles at the Canada GP highlighted the delicate balance between tire management and performance. As the team investigates the tire temperature issue, fans eagerly await Hamilton’s resurgence in the upcoming races.
READ MORE: Max Verstappen Touted as ‘Better than Hamilton’ After Shocking Record Surfaces
