‘Bittersweet’ – Martin Brundle poses Lewis Hamilton theory after Canadian Grand Prix

Martin Brundle reckons the Canadian Grand Prix would’ve been bittersweet for Lewis Hamilton as he beat his old nemesis Max Verstappen but lost to his Mercedes replacement Kimi Antonelli.

Hamilton, though, had only words of encouragement for F1’s youngest-ever championship leader.

Martin Brundle: Canadian Grand Prix ‘bittersweet’ for Lewis Hamilton

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Hamilton claimed his best result as a Ferrari driver in Montreal on Sunday, racing his way from fifth on the grid to second at the chequered flag.

Although the Briton made up a place off the line against the McLaren of Oscar Piastri, he was never quite in the race for the victory which unfolded as a Mercedes versus Mercedes fight.

Antonelli and George Russell traded blows at the sharp end, while Hamilton and Verstappen battled for the right to join them on the podium.

Antonelli v Russell was eventually decided when the latter retired on Lap 30 with a power unit problem, while Hamilton made a final decisive pass on Verstappen on Lap 62. The Ferrari driver was late on the brakes, and snatched P2 around the outside at Turn 1.

Antonelli took a comfortable win, his fourth grand prix victory in succession, while Hamilton claimed a Ferrari-best P2 by a second ahead of Verstappen.

The Briton was immediately over to Antonelli to lift him into the air in a bear hug and celebrate with his Mercedes replacement.

“I think it’s sort of bittersweet for Lewis, isn’t it?” Brundle asked during the Sky F1 broadcast.

“Because Antonelli wins the race in the car Lewis stepped out of to go to Ferrari. But to get a second place there in such a competitive way…

“For Lewis to get that by overtaking his old rival in Max Verstappen, he’ll be thoroughly satisfied with that.”

For Hamilton, though, it was just the next chapter in Antonelli’s incredible Mercedes story as the Italian surged to a 43-point lead in the drivers’ championship.

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But, he accepts, today’s young drivers – especially Antonelli at Mercedes – gets support from the teams that wasn’t offered two decades ago.

“I think you forget that we’re competitors. He’s already doing a great job. I’m not going to give him any more pointers!” he said when asked what advice he would give his younger self if he were in Antonelli’s shoes.

“I think just for me personally, 2007 was the one I was fighting for. It was a lot. I was a little bit older, I was 22. I think things were different back then. It feels like it was just different back then.

“I don’t think I had the same support system that he has, for example, today in a place that I worked at and worked in. Toto did a great job of surrounding you with the right support and I definitely didn’t feel that.

“The team was nice and everything, but there wasn’t the right elements around to support you, to help you stay stable and guide you. And it was pretty intense, especially in my first year. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

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