Lewis Hamilton delivered his strongest qualifying performance of the 2025 Formula 1 season on Friday at the Canadian Grand Prix, claiming fifth place on the sprint grid at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal — a result he credited directly to a significant change in his pre-weekend preparation routine.

The Routine Change That Made the Difference

Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, the seven-time World Champion revealed he had stepped away from Ferrari's simulator entirely, redirecting that time toward intensive physical training and deep-dive data analysis with his engineering team. The shift appeared to pay off almost immediately, with Hamilton comfortably outpacing teammate Charles Leclerc in Sprint Qualifying — the first time he has done so since the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season.

'It was probably our best Qualifying session that we've had in a while,' Hamilton said after securing P5 on the sprint grid. 'It's great work with the engineers on the set-up changes; the car has felt really fantastic from FP1 and we've done some subtle changes for Quali.'

What Hamilton Changed and Why

Hamilton explained that the time freed up by avoiding the simulator was channelled into two areas: physical conditioning and a granular examination of the car's balance characteristics. 'We've had to work really hard in the last few weeks and sift through the data,' he said. 'So much more beneficial; first, because I was able to really concentrate on training and not get myself distracted; and second, to really comb through with the ride stability and with the corner balance and mechanical balance of the car.'

He added that he ran a set-up configuration that the team had never previously attempted, and that it transformed the car's behaviour for him. 'I've used a set-up that we've never tried before and it has changed the car for me, so I hope it serves us well through the rest of the weekend,' Hamilton said.

SQ1 and SQ2 Looked Promising Before Mercedes, McLaren Pulled Clear

Hamilton ran competitively through both SQ1 and SQ2, but ultimately found himself trailing the Mercedes-Benz and McLaren runners in the closing stages. 'SQ1 and SQ2 were looking good, and then I don't know what's happening for the others to be able to turn up their cars a little bit more,' he acknowledged. The McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the second row of the sprint grid, ahead of the two Ferraris.

Leclerc Struggles With Braking Issues

While Hamilton's Friday was encouraging, it was a difficult session for Charles Leclerc, who reported persistent braking problems throughout Sprint Qualifying. The Monegasque driver will start sixth on the sprint grid and expressed concern about the race ahead if the issue is not resolved.

'Honestly on my side I kind of expected it as I was not at ease with the car,' Leclerc said. 'I am really struggling with the brakes for my side of the garage, for some reason; we need to look into it; hopefully find something for tomorrow otherwise it's going to be a very long race because when I get into corners with the brakes, I hope that I don't straight line the corner.'

Leclerc also acknowledged Hamilton's strong pace, adding: 'Lewis has been super fast this weekend, on my side I just need to find a way to work on my feelings on the brakes and hopefully we can get ourselves out of this situation tomorrow.'

What to Watch in the Sprint and Beyond

With Hamilton showing renewed confidence and Leclerc carrying an unresolved technical concern into Saturday, the Canadian Grand Prix sprint shapes up as an uneven contest within the Ferrari garage. Whether Hamilton's new set-up philosophy holds up over a full race distance — and whether Ferrari's engineers can diagnose Leclerc's braking problem overnight — will be the defining subplots of the Montreal weekend.