‘We’re getting closer...I feel young again!’

LEWIS HAMILTON finished third in the Canadian Grand Prix and declared: ‘I am back to being young again!’

A week after struggling to climb out of his Mercedes in Baku after being bounced around in the cockpit, the seven-time champion’s back pain had vanished. Having finished behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, the 37-year-old Briton said: ‘It’s quite overwhelming to get this third place. It’s been such a battle this year with the car, but we continue to stay vigilant, focused and never give up. That’s something I’m proud of.

‘We’re getting closer, so we’ve got to keep pushing and pushing, and hopefully we’ll eventually be in the fight with these guys.’ Hamilton is now 98 points off the summit heading to Silverstone a week on Sunday. Team principal Toto Wolff said: ‘One swallow doesn’t make a summer, but we are very happy. I am delighted for Lewis because he was disadvantaged by the safety car at various races previously. He’s had bad luck but he is on the podium without having anything gifted to him. It’s good to see. ‘Lewis and George were both very good. We showed some pace today. We ran different drag levels. The way forward I think we just need to develop the car in a different window. We didn’t get it right in many areas but we own the problem. ‘I think before you start on next season, you need to see what the problem is. Within the team, Lewis was always positive with the mindset. How the two work together is really astonishing. In briefings they always ask questions to each other. It’s super how the two have progressed.’ Verstappen held his nerve after a late safety car phase to claim his sixth win of the season. Team boss Christian Horner said the Dutchman was in the form of his life. Verstappen said: ‘The safety car didn’t help, but it was really exciting at the end. I was giving it everything and I could see Sainz was pushing and charging. Luckily, this year we seem really quick on the straights.’