It's win or crash for Hamilton in Montreal
Lewis Hamilton's win-or-bust sequence of Canadian Grands Prix continued when he took his Montreal hat-trick on Sunday. Michele Merlino looks in to this and all the other statistical quirks from the seventh round of the 2012 campaign
It's a question of win or be damned in Montreal for Lewis Hamilton, and in 2012 he was very much a winner. As the seventh victor of the year the McLaren ace took the third win of his career win in Canada - a venue at which he has either won (as in 2007 when he scored his maiden triumph, or 2010 and 2012) or crashed out (just as he did in 2008 and 2011).
This was Hamilton's 18th win in Formula 1, which puts him level with Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen at 14th in the all-time rankings.
Another significant aspect of his success on Sunday is that it brought McLaren back on to the podium after a barren spell of three races. It all means that Hamilton is back at the top of the drivers' championship standings after falling to fourth in the earlier races. The championship lead has also changed hands for the third time in as many races and only Sebastian Vettel has been able to hold it for back-to-back races - between Bahrain and Spain.
Race notes
• The Canadian GP marked Hamilton's first win since last year's Abu Dhabi race. In that race he also started alongside Vettel from the second grid spot, but this time he was able to beat Red Bull to the flag in a straight race, while in Abu Dhabi Sebastian retired with a puncture at the first corner. These are two of nine occasions in which Hamilton has beaten Vettel after starting behind the German.
• Hamilton's win also means the Briton continues his record of securing a pole, win, or podium finish in every season he's raced in.
Stats: Webber's final F1 tally
Stats: Webber's final F1 tally Stats: Webber's final F1 tally
Stats: Alonso's Interlagos jinx
Stats: Alonso's Interlagos jinx Stats: Alonso's Interlagos jinx
Stats: only Ascari left to topple
Stats: only Ascari left to topple Stats: only Ascari left to topple
Stats: F1's late-race shootouts
Stats: F1's late-race shootouts Stats: F1's late-race shootouts
Stats: Modern F1's biggest wins
Stats: Modern F1's biggest wins Stats: Modern F1's biggest wins
Stats: Formula 1's pole jinxes
Stats: Formula 1's pole jinxes Stats: Formula 1's pole jinxes
Vettel's Formula 1 success in numbers
Vettel's Formula 1 success in numbers Vettel's Formula 1 success in numbers
Stats: McLaren has had it worse than this
Stats: McLaren has had it worse than this Stats: McLaren has had it worse than this
Norris: McLaren "not miles away" from Verstappen after F1 Japanese GP double podium
Norris: McLaren "not miles away" from Verstappen after F1 Japanese GP double podium Norris: McLaren "not miles away" from Verstappen after F1 Japanese GP double podium
2023 F1 Japanese GP results: Max Verstappen wins
2023 F1 Japanese GP results: Max Verstappen wins 2023 F1 Japanese GP results: Max Verstappen wins
F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen cruises to victory, Red Bull ties up constructors' crown
F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen cruises to victory, Red Bull ties up constructors' crown F1 Japanese GP: Verstappen cruises to victory, Red Bull ties up constructors' crown
Sargeant handed penalty for third car rules breach ahead of F1 Japanese GP
Sargeant handed penalty for third car rules breach ahead of F1 Japanese GP Sargeant handed penalty for third car rules breach ahead of F1 Japanese GP
How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation
How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation
How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again
How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again
Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge
Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP
The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP
The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake
The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak
The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.