Lewis Hamilton's aggression hailed as he 'obliterated' Charles Leclerc in Canadian GP

Lewis Hamilton delivered his strongest performance since joining Ferrari at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, earning a second-place finish and rare praise from former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, who said the seven-time champion "obliterated" teammate Charles Leclerc.

The race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve marked a turning point for Hamilton, who skipped the simulator in favor of data study and engineer time. Palmer, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, called it "the best Lewis we've seen for years" and a "proper rollback" to his dominant days.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's revival reshapes the intra-team battle at Ferrari. After struggling to match Leclerc's pace since joining, the 41-year-old flipped the script, leaving the Monegasque visibly frustrated. It suggests Hamilton is finally unlocking the potential of the SF-25 and could become a serious title threat.

The details:

• Confidence restored: Hamilton was "at one" with the car all weekend, moving naturally compared to his chasing style in 2024 with Mercedes. "He was so happy and confident," Palmer noted.
• No simulator, no problem: As he did before the 2025 Chinese GP, Hamilton prioritized face-to-face engineering work over virtual runs — a method that clearly paid off.
• Leclerc's meltdown: The Monegasque called it "the worst weekend ever" and refused to hear from his engineer over the radio after learning of Hamilton's lap times. Palmer said Hamilton "obliterated" him, applying pressure that Leclerc couldn't handle.
• Game-changing result: For Hamilton, a great day used to be being close to Leclerc. In Montreal, he dominated the internal battle, finishing second behind the winner.

What's next:

If Hamilton can replicate this form, Ferrari gains a potent one-two punch. Leclerc will need to recover quickly to avoid the dynamic shifting permanently. The next races will test whether Montreal was a flashback or a true resurgence.