Juan Pablo Montoya Claims Hamilton Is Now Steering Ferrari’s Car Development Direction

Lewis Hamilton has been described as the driver now shaping Ferrari’s car development, following his strongest performance of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix.
At the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Hamilton secured second place and joined championship leader Kimi Antonelli and four-time champion Max Verstappen on the podium.
His team-mate Charles Leclerc could only manage fourth, a notable role reversal from earlier in their partnership at Ferrari.
During their first season together, it was Leclerc who frequently had the upper hand over Hamilton in the intra-team battle.
However, something clearly clicked for Hamilton in Montreal, with several factors potentially contributing to his improved form and confidence.
Among those factors were the presence of his mother, who has become something of a lucky charm having attended both of his 2026 podiums, along with Ferrari’s Miami upgrades package.
Prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed he had abandoned the Ferrari simulator in favour of more traditional race preparation methods, an approach that has served him well throughout his career.
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, speaking to talkSPORT BET after the race, offered his analysis of the shifting dynamic between the two Ferrari drivers.
“If you look at the past year and a half, it’s been Charles always been happy and Lewis who has always looked unhappy,” Montoya said, pointing to a clear change in momentum.
“Canada was the first weekend where Lewis is maximising the car, driving the hell out of car, and Charles is really uncomfortable,” he added, underlining the significance of the shift.
Montoya raised the question of whether Ferrari had applied the same setup theory to both cars, calling it “a million-dollar question” before insisting he would guarantee they had.
The former Williams and McLaren driver then addressed Ferrari’s development direction, noting that the Canadian Grand Prix was the first weekend the team ran without new upgrades following the Miami package.
“They have found a new package and Lewis is really happy with the car,” Montoya said, suggesting the development path was organically benefiting Hamilton rather than being a deliberate favouring of one driver.
Montoya concluded with a pointed observation about who now holds the influence over how the Ferrari feels to drive, stating: “Whoever at Ferrari drives the development of the car controls how the car feels for him. So that is Lewis.”
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