Lewis Hamilton secured the fifth position on the starting grid for the Canadian Grand Prix Sprint race during qualifying in Montreal on Friday, May 22, 2026.
The Ferrari driver outperformed teammate Charles Leclerc for the first time since the second round in China after deciding to skip simulator preparation ahead of the weekend.
>>> Fox and Harper Return for Spurs in Game 3; Thunder's Williams Out
Hamilton opted to analyze historical race data rather than using the factory simulator to configure a unique car setup that enhanced stability and corner balance.
“It’s probably the best Qualifying session we’ve had for some time,” said Hamilton, as reported by formula1. com.
The British driver expressed satisfaction with the mechanical adjustments made to his car alongside his engineering team.
“Great work with the engineers on the set-up changes – the car felt really fantastic from FP1. We made subtle changes going into Quali,” said Hamilton.
Despite his early pace, Hamilton fell behind the Mercedes and McLaren drivers during the final moments of the knockout session.
“SQ1 and SQ2 were looking good and then I don’t know why the others are able to turn up a little bit more, I don’t know.
I’m just happy to be there in the fight,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton noted that the adjusted preparation routine allowed him to maintain better focus heading into the competitive sessions.
“I was having so much fun out there.
Also, the fact that I didn’t do the sim and this is the best I’ve felt all year so I think that’s the way forward for me,” said Hamilton.
