Thursday’s traditional Formula 1 press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix brought several key talking points, and among the drivers in the spotlight was Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver touched on a wide range of subjects, from his memories of racing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to his expectations for the Montreal weekend, as well as more personal reflections about his current mindset.
But above all, one topic simply could not be avoided: the speculation that had dominated the two-week break between races, namely the rumours surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s future.
The most dramatic theory, and the one that inevitably reignited debate both inside and outside the Formula 1 paddock, was the suggestion that the British driver could be considering a shock retirement from Formula 1. That scenario would, in theory, open up a Ferrari seat, trigger discussions about a successor, and potentially lead to a major announcement during the Silverstone weekend.
Those rumours also fuelled broader analysis of Lewis Hamilton’s current situation at Ferrari. Attention once again turned to comparisons between the early stages of the 2025 and 2026 seasons, the apparent gap that has emerged between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc over the last two Grands Prix, and the answers that many still believe are needed. Not only from the seven-time world champion, but perhaps even more importantly, from the team itself.
Lewis Hamilton dismisses retirement rumours with long-term Ferrari commitment
Lewis Hamilton’s opening remarks were initially the usual pre-weekend pleasantries. He began by mentioning the weather, the fantastic atmosphere that Montreal always offers, and how the Canadian Grand Prix remains one of his favourite races on the Formula 1 calendar. Before moving into more serious topics, he also shared that his mother would be arriving during the weekend.
However, the conversation quickly moved to the most anticipated topic: the rumours surrounding his supposed retirement.
It is difficult to say whether Lewis Hamilton was genuinely irritated by the speculation, but he certainly delivered a pointed response to those who had reported the story or publicly commented on it.
“I still have a contract, so for me everything is absolutely clear,” the British driver said. “I’m still focused, motivated, and I love what I do with all my heart. I’ll be here for quite a long time, so people should get used to that.”
Those comments not only shut down the retirement rumours, but also offered a very clear indication about his future in Formula 1 — and, crucially, his commitment to Ferrari.
Hamilton then went even further in addressing the speculation.
“There are a lot of people trying to send me into retirement, but honestly, that’s not remotely in my thoughts,” he added. “I’m already thinking about what comes next, and I’m planning my next five years. So yes, I fully intend to be here for quite some time.”
That statement was perhaps the strongest possible response from the Briton, making it abundantly clear that retirement is not part of his immediate thinking and that his Ferrari project remains very much alive.
Lewis Hamilton assesses Ferrari’s position against Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull
With the retirement rumours addressed and his long-term ambitions established, attention shifted to the current Formula 1 season and Ferrari’s competitive situation.
At the moment, Ferrari is not the benchmark team on the grid. The Scuderia finds itself under pressure not only from a resurgent McLaren, but also from Red Bull, which appears to be making progress thanks to recent upgrade packages.
According to Lewis Hamilton, however, the competitive order at the front remains highly fluid: “The situation at the front changes every weekend,” he explained. “Mercedes is at the top, McLaren looked very strong in the last race, and Red Bull has made a big step forward. So we’re there, fighting around McLaren and Red Bull.”
Speaking specifically about Ferrari’s own objectives, Lewis Hamilton added: “Mercedes has brought a big upgrade this weekend, so… our focus will simply be on ourselves.”
The message aligns closely with the philosophy often repeated by team principal Frederic Vasseur: execution remains everything. Ferrari’s priority is to maximise its own performance rather than become distracted by rivals, even while remaining fully aware of what the competition is doing. Lewis Hamilton also reflected on his own leadership role within the team.
“I always look at the other leaders and the way they work with their respective teams, so I can learn how to be a better teammate and get more out of the people around me. I feel I’m in a really good place with my team and I’m genuinely happy.”
Those remarks offer an interesting insight into Lewis Hamilton’s current mindset at Ferrari, showing that despite the performance frustrations, his relationship with the team remains positive and constructive.
Ferrari simulator correlation remains a concern for Lewis Hamilton
One of the most technically revealing parts of the press conference involved the seven-time world champion’s comments about Ferrari’s simulator correlation challenges.
Across the last two race weekends, some familiar frustrations from 2025 appear to have resurfaced. During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton suggested he no longer wanted to spend excessive time in the simulator — not because the simulator itself lacks sophistication, but because its data does not always match what the drivers actually experience on track.
“It’s a very powerful tool and something that we continue to develop as a team,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “Since I arrived, I’ve given a lot of input into its development, and the team has responded by making many changes. We’re continuing to improve it.”
It is worth noting that Lewis Hamilton has never been known as a particularly enthusiastic simulator user throughout his Formula 1 career, even while fully recognising its importance and acknowledging the quality of Ferrari’s facilities.
The core issue, however, is consistency.
“You arrive at the track and everything is the opposite,” he said bluntly.
Lewis Hamilton expanded further on the challenge: “Over the past year, I’ve used the simulator practically every week. But often you do all the work there, find a setup you like, then arrive at the circuit and everything is completely different. So you have to undo what you learned, change your approach to corners, and modify a setup that seemed excellent in the simulator but simply doesn’t work on track. Sometimes it matches, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s a bit of a lottery.”
That explanation provides important context for some of Ferrari’s setup struggles and highlights how difficult it can be for a driver to build confidence when simulation tools fail to consistently replicate reality.
Lewis Hamilton also revealed that the team has been taking a deeper analytical approach to solving these issues.
“We’ve analysed things in depth,” the English driver explained, “including corner balance, mechanical balance, corner approach, brake distribution, and brake optimisation, which has been a problem for me for quite some time. That has allowed us to create a really strong understanding with the engineers.”
That last point is particularly significant. Even amid technical frustrations, the collaborative relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s engineering group appears to be strengthening.
Canada could offer fresh answers for Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton concluded by making it clear that simulator work remains an essential part of modern Formula 1, and that he will certainly continue using it. At the same time, Ferrari may need to rethink how it approaches different race weekends in order to better identify the most effective preparation methods.
“For the past six months, after every race weekend, we’ve mostly worked on data correlation,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “But then you go to the next track and sometimes everything changes again. We’ll see how it goes this weekend. For example, in China I hadn’t done the same kind of preparation work, and that ended up being my best weekend.”
That final remark offers an intriguing perspective heading into the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari is still searching for consistency, Lewis Hamilton is still adapting to the nuances of the team’s systems, and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve could provide another important reference point in understanding where the Scuderia truly stands.
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