For much of the 2026 F1 season, Charles Leclerc has held the upper hand in Ferrari's much-anticipated intra-team battle with Lewis Hamilton. But if the Canadian Grand Prix is any indication, the balance of power may be starting to shift.
And according to former Formula 1 engineer Rob Smedley, Leclerc may have felt it in Montreal.
Hamilton delivered his strongest weekend yet in Ferrari colours at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, claiming second place and appearing more comfortable, more confident and, perhaps most significantly, more like the seven-time world champion the Scuderia thought it was signing.
The result not only marked his best finish since joining the Italian outfit, but also reignited the debate about whether Hamilton has finally found his footing inside Maranello's notoriously demanding environment.
For broadcaster Jake Humphrey, the signs went beyond lap times and podium celebrations.
"I had a massive smile on my face watching him race in that grand prix," Humphrey said on his High Performance Racing podcast, sitting alongside Smedley.
"You know what I loved? The way he went and lifted up Kimi Antonelli. Did you see that?
“At the end, Kimi's there, they had just got out of the car at the end of the race. Lewis, with a big beaming smile on his face, lifts up Kimi. Lewis looked like he had a freedom I've not seen in a while."
That word – freedom – may be the most telling takeaway from Hamilton's Montreal resurgence.
After months of scrutiny, questions and adaptation struggles, the Briton suddenly looked relaxed. Dangerous, even.
And according to Smedley, one person inside the Ferrari garage noticed immediately.
Smedley sees psychological blow for Leclerc
Hamilton's pace throughout the weekend compared favourably against Leclerc's, and Smedley believes the Monegasque driver's reaction revealed more than he intended.
"He always brings something special. He's always brought something special around Montreal,” said the former Ferrari engineer, referring to Hamilton.
“He was quicker than Charles. That got inside Charles's head because all of a sudden he started to claim that he'd had the worst weekend of his career in Formula 1, stuff like that.
"So clearly, if Lewis had been three places further back, I wouldn't have thought that Charles would have referred to his weekend as being the worst weekend of his career."
It's a pointed assessment – and one that strikes at the heart of Ferrari's evolving dynamic.
Leclerc has spent years carrying the burden of leading the Scuderia’s charge. Even during difficult periods, he remained the team's reference point.
Hamilton's arrival changed that equation, but until Montreal, there had been little evidence that the Briton was consistently threatening Leclerc's status within the team.
Now, there may be signs of a different story emerging.
If Smedley's interpretation is correct, Hamilton's pace wasn't merely a performance boost. It was a reminder of exactly who is sitting in the other side of the garage.
A resurgent Hamilton could change Ferrari's season
Montreal's result leaves Hamilton fourth in the drivers' standings, just three points behind Leclerc in third, tightening a battle that looked considerably more one-sided only a few races ago.
Perhaps most importantly for Ferrari, Hamilton himself appeared genuinely energised by the weekend.
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‘He’s been fantastic': Hamilton opens up on key Ferrari changeReflecting on his runner-up finish on Instagram, he wrote: "P2 !!! Really enjoyed being out there all weekend. It’s great to be fighting at the front and extracting the best out of the car.
"Big shout to the team for all the prep that went into this weekend, the changes we made really paid off. I always look forward to coming here. Some good battles and challenging weather conditions, Montreal never disappoints. We go again in Monaco."
For Ferrari, the prospect of a rejuvenated Hamilton should be a positive development. For Leclerc, however, Montreal may have delivered an uncomfortable reminder.
The seven-time world champion is no longer searching for confidence. And if Hamilton has truly rediscovered the freedom that Humphrey saw and the speed that Smedley highlighted, Ferrari's internal battle could be about to become far more complicated than anyone in Maranello anticipated.
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