[h=2]Montreal win 'a great blow to Ferrari' - Hamilton[/h] Sunday, 11 June 2017



By Chris Medland / Images by Steven Tee/LAT & Andy Hone/LAT

Lewis Hamilton described the Mercedes one-two in the Canadian Grand Prix as "a great blow to the Ferraris" as his team regained the lead in the constructors' championship.
Ferrari had been leading both championships following its own one-two in Monaco, with Sebastian Vettel 25 points clear in the drivers' standings. Having missed out on the podium in Monte Carlo, Mercedes responded in impressive style with Hamilton winning in Montreal ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas, and the Briton says the turnaround is a big result in such a tight title battle.
"It's been an incredible weekend, I couldn't be happier," Hamilton said. "Firstly, for the team to have come away from Monaco, everyone kind scratching their heads but everyone wanting to work, to pull together, which we did.
"I don't think in the five years I've been with the team that I've seen them pull so well together and really work towards the same cause. Understand the car and then come here and deliver what we've delivered – a great blow to the Ferraris, I think, because Valtteri did a fantastic job to get a 1-2 – it's our first 1-2 together – and it's important points for the team. So, well deserved."
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Hamilton's win is his sixth in Montreal, which is also the scene of his first-ever win, and the 32-year-old says he saw similarities between his latest victory and that first success.
"It's kind of crazy to think that I had my first pole position and grand prix win here years ago. It felt great; it felt very reminiscent of 2007 in terms of how the race went. Once we did the restart, once I got past the pit straight it was all under control from there. I had to manage the car, the tires – it's a long race! When you're out there on your own it feels very long – when you've got 35 laps to go, you think it's a long way. Just hoping that the car holds together, which it did."
And Hamilton believes the win caps off one of his most complete grand prix weekends, having produced an excellent lap in qualifying to take pole by over 0.3s.
"I think it's always difficult to say the best. I have been so fortunate. Motor racing has given me some great memories, from the early days when I was eight years old. And being in Formula 1 from 22 onwards I think there are just so many, I wouldn't want to say one was more special than the other.
"The first grand prix win I had when my dad was here. The first grand prix I had when I finished third on the podium and seeing my dad coming out of the garage and we couldn't believe that we were there; winning my first championship, there are just so many amazing memories,
"Each weekend you just want to arrive as a more solid, complete driver. I think this weekend I would like to hope being that I'm older, more experienced, further down the line, I would like to think I'm a lot more composed, a lot more complete as a driver. In terms of performance I would like to think it was one of the best weekends, yeah."