Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes driver, made a candid admission to Max Verstappen in the cool-down room after the Canadian Grand Prix, acknowledging that the Mercedes W14 “sucks” in low-speed corners. Daniel Ricciardo, who serves as a third driver for Red Bull in the 2023 Formula 1 season, believes that Hamilton’s intention was to catch Verstappen off guard and extract valuable information from him.
The Canadian Grand Prix was a critical test for Hamilton and the Mercedes team, as they aimed to demonstrate that their improved performance at the Spanish GP was not a one-time occurrence. In Canada, Mercedes achieved a double podium finish, although Hamilton slipped down to P3. Nevertheless, the gap to Verstappen, who secured his fourth consecutive victory, was notably reduced.
In Spain, Hamilton finished 24 seconds behind Verstappen, while in Canada, the gap narrowed to 14 seconds. The early Safety Car period caused by George Russell’s incident with the wall in the other Mercedes W14 prevented Verstappen from building his usual substantial lead.
As the drivers gathered in the cool-down room before the podium celebrations, Hamilton engaged in a conversation with Verstappen about the race. He openly stated that Mercedes struggles in low-speed corners. Verstappen, on the other hand, did not disclose similar details about the Red Bull RB19. Ricciardo, analyzing the situation from an alternate telecast of the Canadian Grand Prix, believes that Hamilton was attempting to extract crucial information from Verstappen when he might have been in a vulnerable state.
Ricciardo, alongside actor and comedian Will Arnett, shared his perspective during the broadcast: “It’s interesting, you know. I see it as Lewis has gone up to him thinking he’s vulnerable and might let his guard down and try and get some information about the car and give it back to the team. But Max wasn’t giving him too much. It was all very blasé. I’ve been in those rooms enough times to know you’ve still got to be on it and not get complacent.”
With his victory in Canada, Verstappen extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship. The win marked his sixth of the season and 41st overall, equalling the legendary three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna’s tally. Verstappen now holds a 69-point advantage over his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, whose title challenge has faltered recently with a concerning drop in form.
