Hamilton Ditches Ferrari Simulator for Canadian GP, Focuses on Data

Lewis Hamilton stuck to his word and avoided using Ferrari’s Formula 1 simulator ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, opting for a data-focused preparation method he believes delivers better results.

Why it matters:

Hamilton has been vocal about his distrust of Ferrari's simulator after early-season struggles. The seven-time champion feels the tool sends him in the wrong direction, leading to wasted effort and wrong setups. His approach for Montreal could be a turning point in his adaptation to the team.

The details:

• Hamilton first expressed frustration with the simulator after the Miami Grand Prix, calling it “sending me in the wrong direction.”
• He has a long history of shunning sim work, rarely using Mercedes’ simulator during his championship years.
• One exception: Singapore 2012 with McLaren, when the sim setup matched reality and he took pole.
• For Canada, Hamilton instead analyzed corner balance, mechanical balance, brake optimization, and power deployment with his engineers.
• He noted that his best weekend so far with Ferrari – China – came without simulator preparation.

What’s next:

Hamilton is not abandoning sim work entirely but wants better correlation before fully committing. He plans to use the simulator after race weekends to improve data alignment. The Canadian GP will be an early test of whether his data-driven approach can yield another strong result.