The Mercedes driver finished fourth in Montreal having lost out on the final podium position to team-mate and polesitter George Russell, who scythed down the inside at the final chicane in the closing stages.
Hamilton had started seventh on the grid after struggling to carry his form from practice to qualifying and found himself bottled up behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso for much of the first half of the race, which was held in mixed conditions.
But after jumping his former team-mate in the pits during the first safety car period, triggered by a crash for Logan Sargeant, Hamilton latched onto the leading pack and following a second neutralisation, he was able to make his way past Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Russell’s medium tyres proved crucial in the dying moments as he made his way back onto the podium and after securing his first top-five of the season, other than his podium in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, Hamilton was asked if he was happier than 24 hours earlier following qualifying.
“Not really much different,” he said of his feelings when talking to Sky Sports F1.
“Over the weekend, it was a really poor performance from myself. Yesterday, some other things came into it but [it was] mostly myself and then today, just one of the worst races I have driven, lots of mistakes.
“But of course, if I had qualified better, I would have been in a much better position. So it is what it is, so I will go back to the drawing board.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Despite his personal disappointment, Hamilton pointed to the step forward taken by Mercedes, with the Brackley-based outfit finding improved performance from a new front wing.
“A big thank you to everyone back at the factory because it is becoming a car we can fight with. That is the real positive going into the next part of the season.
“I know we have some more upgrades, hopefully, coming along the way. So it is going to be a close battle and if I get my head on right, I will get better results at some stage.
“I think this weekend, the car was capable of winning. That’s why it is not such a great feeling. But we will take the points and keep trying.”
On what he could have done to extract more from his weekend, the seven-time champion replied: “I could have just driven better with less mistakes.
“I was stuck behind Fernando so there was nothing I could really do there. Lots of mistakes over the weekend as a whole, but lots of positives to take in terms of performance, so [I’ll] try and improve for the next race.”