Hamilton to skip simulator ahead of Canadian GP after Miami correlation issues

Lewis Hamilton is changing his routine ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. After a frustrating Miami weekend where simulator time failed to translate into a competitive result, the seven-time world champion will skip the sim altogether for the next race. He's betting on a more traditional approach to recapture the form he showed in China, where he had his strongest weekend of the season without simulator preparation.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's decision signals a growing frustration with the disconnect between modern simulation tools and real-world car behavior. For a driver chasing his first win with Ferrari, every detail matters. If this shift pays off in Montreal, it could reshape how he — and perhaps the team — approach preparation for the rest of the season.

The details:

• Hamilton used the simulator ahead of the Miami Grand Prix but found the correlation poor once on track. He finished sixth after teammate Charles Leclerc's penalty.
• Sprint weekend complexity: Canada is a sprint weekend, meaning only one practice session before qualifying. Hamilton explained that under those conditions, making setup changes based on the sim is risky — you only get six laps to adapt.
• China as a reference: Hamilton noted his best weekend so far came in China, where he did not use the simulator. He plans to replicate that approach: factory meetings and track work only.
• Quote: "I'm not gonna go on the simulator between now and the next race. I'll still go and hold meetings at the factory, but I'm just going to back away from it for a little bit."

What's next:

• Hamilton will rely on his raw feel and team feedback at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Canadian GP is a track where a driver's confidence and braking precision often outweigh setup perfection.
• If the no-sim experiment works, it could signal a shift in Ferrari's preparation strategy for veteran drivers. A strong result in Montreal would be a major boost for Hamilton's morale and the team's momentum.