Hamilton revamps preparation for Canadian GP after simulator correlation issues

Lewis Hamilton has adjusted his preparation approach for the Canadian Grand Prix, following a difficult start to his Ferrari tenure that has seen him outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time world champion will skip simulator work ahead of Montreal, reverting to the method that delivered his strongest weekend of the season in China.

Why it matters:

Hamilton has consistently trailed Leclerc in 2026, with the Miami Grand Prix highlighting the gap — he was 0.379s slower in sprint qualifying and 24 seconds behind before Leclerc's final-lap drama. A key issue is the simulator's poor correlation to real-world track performance, steering Hamilton away from optimal setup. Adjusting his preparation could be critical to closing the performance deficit within Ferrari.

The details:

• Hamilton described the SF-26's behavior in Miami as suffering from "massive understeer in mid-corner" and lacking "snappy" turn-in. He believes the simulator misdirected the car's setup.
• The Chinese Grand Prix, where Hamilton performed best, was the only weekend he did not use the simulator. "When we went to China I had the best weekend without sim," he said.
• For Canada, Hamilton plans to attend meetings at the factory but will not drive the simulator. He aims to start from a setup base closer to Leclerc's, avoiding the struggle to correct during sprint weekends with only one practice session.
• Hamilton clarified he is happy with the SF-26’s overall characteristics — the smaller, nimbler 2026 cars suit his preference — but the setup correlation problem has hindered his weekends.

What's next:

Ferrari faces an additional challenge in Canada: the circuit's long straights (four straights over 550m) expose the team's power unit deficit. Hamilton estimates they lose "three to four tenths just on straightline speed" relative to Mercedes. "We need to see if we can cut some drag before the next race," he noted, suggesting setup or aero changes may be needed. Montreal will test whether skipping the simulator helps Hamilton unlock more performance and whether Ferrari can mitigate its straightline weakness.