Hamilton's Montreal surge rattles Leclerc, says Smedley

Lewis Hamilton delivered his strongest performance in Ferrari red at the Canadian Grand Prix, taking second place and finally looking like the seven-time champion Maranello signed. According to former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley, that pace may have landed a psychological blow on teammate Charles Leclerc.

Why it matters:

For months, Leclerc held the upper hand in Ferrari's intra-team battle. If Hamilton has truly found his footing, the Scuderia faces a delicate balancing act — and a potentially more intense internal rivalry that could reshape their championship fight.

The details:

• Smedley noted that Hamilton's Montreal speed “got inside Charles's head,” pointing to Leclerc's claim that he'd had “the worst weekend of his career in Formula 1.”
• “If Lewis had been three places further back, I wouldn't have thought Charles would have referred to his weekend as the worst,” Smedley said on the High Performance Racing podcast.
• Hamilton finished just behind winner Lando Norris, while Leclerc struggled to P6 after a difficult race.
• The result leaves Hamilton fourth in the standings, only three points behind Leclerc in third.
• Broadcaster Jake Humphrey highlighted Hamilton's visibly relaxed demeanor, including a moment after the race where he lifted up young teammate Kimi Antonelli. “He looked like he had a freedom I've not seen in a while,” Humphrey said.

What's next:

Ferrari heads to Monaco — a track where Hamilton has historically excelled and Leclerc has often struggled. If the psychological shift Smedley describes is real, the dynamic inside the garage could become as compelling as the fight on track. A rejuvenated Hamilton might be exactly what Ferrari needs — and a tougher challenge than Leclerc expected.