Rob Smedley reveals Ferrari’s surprising response to Lewis Hamilton’s simulator concerns. Lewis Hamilton’s simulator doubts leave even Rob Smedley puzzled.

Hamilton and the simulator debate

During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton openly expressed his frustration with how the event had unfolded, suggesting that a significant part of the problem stemmed from the setup direction chosen through simulator work. According to the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, the simulator had effectively led him down the wrong path.

As a result, Hamilton decided to take a different approach ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, choosing to skip simulator preparation altogether. The strategy appeared to pay off immediately, with the Ferrari driver securing second place at the chequered flag and delivering his strongest performance since joining the Scuderia.

The British driver even suggested that it could be interesting to reverse the usual process in the future. Rather than relying on the simulator to guide trackside decisions, Hamilton proposed using his on-track feedback to help improve the simulator’s correlation, comparing what he experiences in the real car with what the virtual model predicts.

Smedley tried to investigate, but found few answers

Speaking on the High Performance podcast, former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley revealed that he had attempted to understand what was happening behind the scenes regarding the simulator situation. Smedley, who worked for Ferrari between 2004 and 2013, admitted that his inquiries did not produce any clear explanation.

“I spoke to a couple of people, but they just shrugged their shoulders when I asked the question,” he said.

His comments suggest that there may not be a clear consensus within Ferrari itself regarding the simulator concerns raised by Lewis Hamilton. While simulator technology has become an increasingly important part of modern Formula 1 development and race preparation, achieving perfect correlation between virtual data and real-world performance remains one of the sport’s most difficult challenges.

Smedley concluded by reflecting on Hamilton’s comments and the outcome of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

“Hamilton said he didn’t do any simulator work before Canada, and that made him feel free because he felt it was pulling him in a direction he didn’t like. Then, of course, statistically speaking, it is now true for him that if you don’t work on the simulator, you end up on the podium,” the Briton joked with a laugh.

Whether Lewis Hamilton’s strong result in Montreal was directly linked to skipping simulator sessions or simply a coincidence remains open to debate. However, the discussion has once again highlighted the importance of simulator correlation in Formula 1 and raised further questions about how Ferrari can maximise the potential of both Lewis Hamilton and the SF-26 as the season progresses.