Lewis Hamilton has put Fred Vasseur in impossible position with latest Ferrari demand after Canadian Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton finished sixth once again at the Canadian Grand Prix last weekend. It was a reasonable result for the seven-time world champion, but still a long way from where he expected to be.

Hamilton’s season has rather settled since a Q2 exit at Imola. He’s been in the top six in every subsequent session, though a grid penalty demoted him from fourth to seventh in Monaco.

His recent results haven’t been disastrous; they’ve just been mediocre relative to pre-season predictions. Ferrari have had the fourth-fastest car on balance this year, but are fortunate that Red Bull only have one driver consistently scoring.

Ferrari briefly looked like contenders during Montreal practice but Charles Leclerc and Hamilton were anonymous during the race, eventually coming home P5 and P6. A late safety car spared them the embarrassment of a huge gap to the top four.

While Leclerc suffered from a questionable strategy, Hamilton encountered multiple problems. His car was damaged after hitting a groundhog, and he also reported issues with his brakes over the radio.

Lewis Hamilton demands Ferrari upgrades – and a focus on 2026

Before and after the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton called for Ferrari to deliver more upgrades. There were no new parts listed on the official FIA document last weekend.

Embattled team principal Fred Vasseur pushed back on development calls because he believed that the FIA’s front-wing clampdown in Spain would benefit Ferrari. After two races, there’s no indication that they have made any relative gains.

Ferrari will introduce a new rear suspension at Silverstone, but the pace of their upgrades has certainly slowed of late. “I don’t know why we haven’t brought them, honestly,” Hamilton said on Sunday, via Gazzetta dello Sport.

But as the Italian outlet note, the 40-year-old is simultaneously advocating for Ferrari to prioritise 2026. With major regulation changes looming, the timing of the shift in resources could be critical.

Hamilton doesn’t want Ferrari to ‘waste too much time’ on the SF-25 because they’re already out of both championships. Lead driver Leclerc is 94 points behind Oscar Piastri, and they’re 191 adrift of McLaren in the constructors’.

For Hamilton, the emphasis should shift towards ‘building the foundations’ for 2026 and ensuring they have a ‘great car’.

Lewis Hamilton radio message shows what he’s now realising about Ferrari

One can see how Hamilton is putting Vasseur and the senior engineers in an impossible position. His short and long-term demands are incompatible.

The impulse is understandable. His heart will be longing for a car good enough to win races this year, or even score a podium, but his head will be telling him to look to the future.

Hamilton is still building ‘trust’ in Ferrari, Karun Chandhok says. If he’s aiming to mount a title challenge next year instead, he needs to inspire an operational improvement.

Indeed, Hamilton questioned Ferrari’s tyre strategy in an unaired qualifying radio message. He’s realising that the team may have the resources to win a title, but currently lack the guile.