Lewis Hamilton secured his strongest weekend yet in Ferrari colours at the Canadian Grand Prix, finishing second and reaffirming his growing confidence with the SF-26 after adopting an unconventional preparation strategy that once again paid off at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion produced one of his most competitive performances since joining Ferrari, fighting at the sharp end of the field and ultimately securing a hard-earned podium finish. Lewis Hamilton’s result in Montreal stood out not only for the racing itself, but also for the deliberate decision he made before the weekend: avoiding Ferrari’s simulator programme in favour of real-world data and on-track learning.
Lewis Hamilton explains decision to skip Ferrari simulator work
Leading into the Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton chose not to rely on Ferrari’s Maranello simulator, stating internally that it does not always accurately reflect real circuit conditions. Instead, Lewis Hamilton focused on track time, live feedback and direct communication with engineers to better understand the SF-26’s behaviour.
This approach is not entirely new for Lewis Hamilton. The British driver previously adopted a similar preparation method during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, where he also achieved a strong performance. The positive outcome in Canada has further reinforced his belief that this working style can be effective under the current Formula 1 regulations.
Lewis Hamilton later suggested that simulator work may still have value for correlation purposes, particularly to compare data after a race weekend. However, he emphasised that real driving remains the most important reference point for understanding the car’s true limitations.
The Ferrari driver also explained that, in his view, only he and teammate Charles Leclerc can fully interpret the SF-26’s behaviour on track in its raw form, making direct feedback from racing conditions more valuable than virtual simulation.
Lewis Hamilton further admitted that he considers himself “old school” in this regard, suggesting that while simulator technology is useful, he personally tends to extract stronger performance when focusing purely on track-based preparation.
Lewis Hamilton outperforms Charles Leclerc and battles Max Verstappen in Canada
On track, Lewis Hamilton immediately showed strong pace from the opening sessions of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, consistently appearing more comfortable than Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who endured a more difficult and inconsistent event in Montreal.
Throughout qualifying and race trim, the seven-time champion demonstrated improved tyre management, stronger confidence under braking and greater stability through the low-speed sections of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. This allowed him to remain firmly in contention with the leading group from start to finish.
In the closing stages of the Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton engaged in an intense and strategic battle with Max Verstappen for track position, a duel that ultimately proved decisive in securing second place for Ferrari.
The race highlighted a clear step forward in Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari’s technical package, with his execution across strategy, tyre control and racecraft combining to produce his best result of the season so far.
Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, struggled to match Lewis Hamilton’s pace throughout the weekend, underlining the contrast in performance between the two Ferrari drivers in Canada. While Charles Leclerc faced setup limitations and tyre confidence issues, the Briton appeared increasingly aligned with the SF-26’s evolving balance window.
Overall, Lewis Hamilton’s Canadian Grand Prix performance not only delivered Ferrari a valuable podium result, but also strengthened belief within the team that his current development approach — prioritising real-world feedback over simulator reliance — is contributing positively to performance gains under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
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