Hamilton to ditch Ferrari simulator after setup issues

Lewis Hamilton will stop using Ferrari's simulator ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, blaming it for sending him in the "wrong direction" with car setup and contributing to a recent dip in performance relative to teammate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time champion cited poor correlation between the virtual and real car as the core issue, which left him on the back foot throughout the Miami weekend.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's struggle to find a consistent setup highlights the critical challenge of driver adaptation in a new team, even for the sport's most experienced champion. His public critique of a key technical tool also puts internal pressure on Ferrari to improve its simulation correlation, a vital asset in the compressed format of sprint weekends where practice time is severely limited.

The details:

• Hamilton identified the simulator as the culprit after a difficult Miami Grand Prix, where Leclerc outqualified him for the sprint and the main race.
• The specific problem was a setup that translated to a car lacking responsiveness on corner entry and suffering from "massive understeer" in mid-corner on track.
• He noted his strong performance in China—a back-to-back race with no simulator time—as a counterpoint, reinforcing his theory.
• Qualifying Gap: The data shows a growing deficit to Leclerc. In 2026, Leclerc leads Hamilton 4-2 in qualifying sessions with an average gap of 0.081 seconds.
• Sprint Weekend Impact: Hamilton explained the knock-on effect: with only one practice session, he was reluctant to make drastic setup changes, leaving him playing catch-up throughout the short weekend.
• Race Damage: His chance for a recovery in the Miami race was ended on lap one by contact with Franco Colapinto's Alpine, which cost him significant downforce.

What's next:

Hamilton's experiment begins at the next race in Montreal, where he will rely solely on engineering meetings and his on-track instincts.

• This move is a significant test of whether bypassing Ferrari's simulation process can yield better initial setup and a more competitive weekend.
• The results will be closely watched, as they could force a reevaluation of the team's driver preparation tools and processes for both its star drivers.
• Success or failure will provide immediate feedback on whether the issue is unique to Hamilton's driving style or points to a broader correlation problem Maranello needs to address.