Lewis Hamilton has called for a shift in focus toward the 2026 season, admitting that the 2025 campaign has been underwhelming so far. Speaking to the media after the Canadian Grand Prix, the Briton expressed frustration over the lack of pace that hampered his race, ultimately affecting his result.

Hamilton was the quicker of the two Ferrari drivers over the weekend, but his race was compromised when he struck a groundhog, causing damage to the floor of his car. After qualifying fifth, he crossed the line in sixth, finishing behind teammate Charles Leclerc at a circuit where he has historically enjoyed success.

The seven-time world champion believed that before the incident, he had the pace to fight for at least fourth place. He explained that hitting the groundhog damaged the right side of the floor and the deflectors, impacting the car’s performance. Lewis Hamilton also noted that had the team opted for an earlier pit stop, they might have gained track position. Instead, a longer first stint left him stuck in traffic, costing valuable time. Reflecting on the race, he felt a better result was possible if everything had come together.

Summarising his race weekend in Canada, Lewis Hamilton said:

“Up to that point it seemed to me that it was going well, I had made a good start, I had managed to maintain the position by staying close to the group and I was optimistic. I didn’t feel the impact, but then I learned that I had hit a badger, and I’m very sorry. But from that moment the right-hand floor was damaged and all the deflectors were gone.”

“I was slow, I was lacking performance, more than half a second. Qualifying was better, I was holding up until the damage, I was more or less able to stay close to Piastri, I think. But with the damage I started to lose ground and probably we should have stopped earlier. Instead we stayed out and I lost a lot of time, coming back into traffic, and things got worse. But still finishing sixth… I think if everything had gone perfectly, if we had done everything well and without problems, maybe it would have been a fourth place.”

Lewis Hamilton feels devastated after hitting a groundhog in Canada

Given his well-known love for animals, Lewis Hamilton was devastated after hitting a groundhog during the race. The British champion said it was the first time he had ever struck an animal in his Formula 1 car, describing the incident as “devastating.” Hamilton expressed hope that the groundhog hadn’t suffered and explained that he hadn’t seen the animal on the track, nor anticipated the collision.

Speaking about the incident after the race, Lewis Hamilton said:

“It was feeling pretty decent up until then. And then, I didn’t see it happen, but obviously I heard I hit a groundhog. So that’s devastating. I love animals, and I’m so sad about it. That’s horrible. That’s never happened to me here before. It’s never nice to see that – I just hope it didn’t suffer.”

Lewis Hamilton is currently sixth in the Drivers’ Championship with 79 points, while his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc sits fifth with 104 points and three podiums to his name. Although Hamilton secured a sprint race win in China, he is still chasing his first podium of the season.

In the Constructors’ Championship, Ferrari holds third place with 183 points. McLaren leads comfortably with 374 points, followed by Mercedes in second with 199 points. Red Bull trails Ferrari closely, sitting fourth with 162 points. While McLaren continues to dominate the season, the more competitive battle is shaping up between Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull for second place in the standings.