Being F1’s one of the most successful drivers, Lewis Hamilton is no stranger to failure. In today’s generation, tons of memes follow even the smallest of failures. But this story isn’t about a failure but an innocent misunderstanding that went viral during the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. As if that one instance wasn’t enough, a hilarious repeat has occurred at the Canadian GP.

Imagine being a 7-time champion of a sport and the Grand Prix authorities failing to recognize you. This was Hamilton’s fate in 2014, during FP1 of the Australian GP. The Briton was wearing his Mercedes suit and his official helmet too. But when he tried to enter the paddock, the security personnel didn’t recognize him. “Do you have a pass?”, the man questioned. “I’m a driver,” said Hamilton as he entered with all the cameras on him.

The commentators had a hearty laugh over the sheer absurdity of the situation. Surprisingly, in Montreal today, the situation repeated itself. As the soon-to-be Ferrari driver made his way into the paddock on his famous scooter, a guard guarded him for his pass. Though Hamilton’s reply couldn’t be figured out, it was a hilarious deja vu as he eventually cleared himself and carried on.

One of the theories that justifies the staff’s ignorance could be that they have only recently stepped into the F1 world. Because of Mercedes’ lackluster performance, Hamilton hasn’t made as many headlines as he did in their dominant era. But according to him, the Silver Arrows are on the right track to bring lost glory back.

Lewis Hamilton gives rare optimistic update on Mercedes’ “resilient” progress

In the ground-effect era, Mercedes has become a shadow of their former self. Not only did Red Bull overtake them but so did Ferrari and now even McLaren has. Disappointing updates and analysis made most of Lewis Hamilton & Co.’s post-race comments. But finally, the 7-time champion has given a positive update.

“The car’s continuing to improve,” Hamilton told Sky Sports. “I think everyone’s obviously taking that step, hopefully, closer to the Red Bulls and I think that’s been really positive. I’m incredibly proud of everyone back at the factory, just how hard everyone’s working and how resilient everyone is. Everyone is staying focused, head down, the morale is really great in the team. So I’m hoping that we can get closer to these guys and start actually competing at the front.”

Lewis Hamilton won his second championship in the year that the first security personnel failed to recognize him, after a 6-year drought. Though the possibility of him winning his eighth title this year is nearly zero, maybe 2025 with Ferrari could be it. But wishful thinking aside, the Silver Arrows have a point to prove in Canada, with the Top 3 dismissing their capabilities.