Lewis Hamilton explains Ferrari breakthrough after major setup rethink in Canada
Lewis Hamilton’s Canadian Grand Prix weekend began on Thursday with a detailed explanation of how he had prepared for Montreal, particularly his decision not to rely on simulator work. While the seven-time Formula 1 world champion made it clear that Ferrari’s simulator remains an exceptional tool, he explained that he currently finds it difficult to establish the right reference points through virtual preparation, preferring instead to focus more heavily on real performance data.
The outcome in Canada appeared to validate that approach. After securing second place behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton returned to the topic and explained how Ferrari fully supported his preferred working method throughout the weekend.
“My engineers helped me find a much better setup”
The Ferrari driver arrived in Montreal after a relatively anonymous weekend in Miami, so when asked what had made the difference in Canada, Lewis Hamilton offered a very direct answer.
“The preparation beforehand. I chose a different setup this weekend, carefully analysing the data and working really well with my engineer. He’s absolutely fantastic and I really enjoy working with him. My second engineer also did a fantastic job this weekend, helping me extract better performance from the car by finding a much more suitable setup. Finally, I was able to attack all the corners.”
Ferrari’s willingness to support Lewis Hamilton’s requests proved crucial in making that strategy work: “As I said, I had to ask for a lot of changes, and Fred [Vasseur] supported me massively, doing everything possible to make me feel comfortable,” the British driver explained. “Now the results are finally showing in my performances. So thanks to the whole team.”
The simulator remains useful, but no longer essential
Although the success of the Montreal weekend appears to have pointed Lewis Hamilton in a clearer direction, he stressed that this does not mean he will never use Ferrari’s simulator again.
“As for the simulator, I’m sure I’ll use it again at some point,” Lewis Hamilton clarified. “I think it could be useful, for example, to go back and compare it with this weekend’s data to understand what might be missing. That’s because the simulator driver can tell you everything, but he only knows what the simulation tells him, because he doesn’t have the chance to drive the real car. Only Charles and I can drive the actual car. So the advantage of driving the real car is being able to come back and say, ‘This is what it actually feels like. This is what we’re missing,’ so that we can improve.” – the British driver pointed out at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix.
For Lewis Hamilton, the simulator’s role now appears to be supplementary rather than central. The Montreal weekend seems to have reinforced his belief that, after nearly two decades in Formula 1, a more traditional preparation method suits him better.
“I’m always willing to help the team progress and develop. Whether I’ll use the simulator to prepare for another race? Probably not. There are too many risks.
“If you look at my two best races, I didn’t use the simulator. And honestly, that says a lot. In pretty much all my previous championships, except maybe 2008, I didn’t use a simulator.
“So it’s not a necessity. It can be a powerful tool, but I’m old school. I probably perform better without it.”
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