Lewis Hamilton would make a great ambassador for Tourisme Montréal.
The driver has had a soft spot for the city since winning his first Formula One race at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix. He won the race six more times after that, tying Michael Schumacher for the most career victories at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
Hamilton didn’t win Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, but finished second in his Ferrari behind Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes and ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. It marked the 11th time Hamilton has finished on the podium in Montreal and his first second-place finish, to go along with three third-place finishes.
It was also the best finish for the 41-year-old since he joined Ferrari last year.
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton during Formula One auto racing action at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Evan Buhler / Montreal Gazette
“Firstly, I have to say a huge thank you to my team here,” Hamilton said. “Grazie. These guys have welcomed me with open arms, and it’s been pretty tough over the past year and a bit, so to finally find our sweet spot and have a good weekend has really been an amazing feeling.”
The 19-year-old Antonelli has now won four straight races in his second season in F1 — also the first four wins of his career — while accumulating 131 points and opening up a 43-point lead over George Russell, his Mercedes teammate who won the season-opening race in Australia. Russell’s engine lost power on Lap 30 in the fifth race of the season on Sunday after the two teammates had an entertaining battle for first place. Russell was in the lead when his engine conked out.
“It was a shame for him to have the failure because it would have been a very cool battle but, yeah, we’ll take it,” Antonelli said. “Another win and I’m very happy, and a massive thanks of course to the team.”
Antonelli is the first F1 driver to ever have his first four wins in consecutive races. It was the first DNF (did not finish) for Russell — who won the Canadian Grand Prix last year — since the 2024 British Grand Prix, a streak of 38 races. He was the only driver who didn’t have a DNF last season.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, left, hunts down teammate George Russell in Senna Corner during Formula One auto racing action at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Evan Buhler / Montreal Gazette
What made Sunday’s second-place finish extra special for Hamilton is that his mother, Carmen Larbalestier, was cheering him on from the Ferrari garage when he passed Verstappen on Lap 62 of the 68-lap race to move into second place.
“Yeah, it’s been a really cool weekend,” Hamilton said during the post-race news conference. “I get an apartment here and so my mom stayed with me. So every night we’d have dinner together and we’d watch a movie or just sit up talking. It’s been awesome. And we’re going on a little bit of a trip for a couple of days, so I’m really excited about that. And to go on a positive result as well is awesome. So, I definitely need to — now she has to come, she’s clearly my lucky omen, my lucky charm — have her come every weekend.”
What does his mother think about Montreal?
“She has been here before, so it’s not her first race here, but she didn’t really get to see much of the city,” Hamilton said. “We go through the traffic, get to the hotel, and I think last night she went out for a walk and it was manic on the street, so many people out enjoying themselves.
“Montreal just never ceases to deliver every year,” Hamilton added. “The city is just pumping of energy. People seem to have such a great time. It’s got great restaurants. The people are so nice in Canada. I mean, I’ve got so many Canadian friends in my life. I don’t know how they pop up. I don’t know how I ended up with so many Canadian friends in my life, but some of my best friends are Canadian and they’re just good, decent people.”
A fan shows off a sign in support of Lando Norris during Formula One auto racing action at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Evan Buhler / Montreal Gazette
Despite an earlier start for this year’s Canadian Grand Prix — which used to be held in June — overcast skies and temperatures in the low teens for the race, organizers reported a record crowd of 362,000 for the weekend, up from 352,000 last year.
It wasn’t a good weekend for Montreal driver Lance Stroll, who placed 15th out of 16 drivers who finished the race, four laps behind the podium finishers in his Aston Martin.
Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll arrives for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Evan Buhler / Montreal Gazette
Russell was one of five drivers who started the race and had their cars conk out, along with Sergio Perez (Cadillac), Lando Norris (McLaren), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Alexander Albon (Williams). Considering the average cost for an F1 car is estimated at around US$16 million, that might make you feel better the next time your car breaks down.
Hamilton’s red Ferrari was roaring on Sunday around Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, a track the seven-time F1 world champion with a record 105 Grand Prix victories loves.
“This little island that we get to come to, it’s probably my favourite, apart from my British Grand Prix, of course, home Grand Prix,” Hamilton said. “But this is probably my favourite of the year.”
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Hamilton wouldn’t say where he was planning to go for the next few days on the trip with his mother, noting that wouldn’t be great for security reasons.
“Hopefully I’m going to see a moose somewhere,” he did say. “And I will be watching the (Canadiens) game tomorrow, which should be my first (hockey) game to watch.”
Olé! Olé! Olé!
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is lifted onto the shoulders of Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton and Dean Hale, Mercedes senior race team technician, alongside Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen as they celebrate on the podium at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Evan Buhler / Montreal Gazette