Lewis Hamilton defends unusual decision as major Ferrari step made

Lewis Hamilton is doubling down on his unusual decision to skip simulator preparation for race weekends, declaring after Sprint qualifying in Montreal that it produced his best feeling in the car all season.

The seven-time world champion qualified fifth for the Sprint at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, narrowly missing a second-row start after a mistake at the hairpin. Despite that, Hamilton was visibly encouraged by the car's performance and his own comfort level.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's approach runs counter to the modern norm where sim work is standard across F1. If he can sustain this performance without simulator time, it could reshape how top drivers prepare—and put pressure on Ferrari's simulation tools to prove their value.

The details:

• Hamilton called Friday's qualifying "probably the best qualifying session we've had for some time." He credited engineering work on setup changes.
• The last time he skipped simulator duty was for China last year—a race he regards as his best of that season.
• He spent the weeks since the previous race sifting through data and focusing on training instead of sim sessions.
• New approach: Hamilton chose a setup he has never used before, which he says "transformed the car for me."
• The 41-year-old's preference is to work directly with engineers on fine-tuning ride stability, corner balances, and mechanical balance.

What's next:

Hamilton hopes this unconventional path pays off for the rest of the Canadian GP weekend. With the Sprint race and main event ahead, the key test will be whether his confidence translates to results—especially given Ferrari's ongoing push to close the gap to the frontrunners.