Lewis Hamilton Ditches Simulator and Ferrari Immediately Finds Pace

Lewis Hamilton has explained the reasoning behind an unusual decision ahead of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix after choosing to avoid simulator work entirely. The Ferrari driver believes the approach played a major role in producing his most encouraging performance of the season so far.

The seven-time world champion looked competitive from the opening laps at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and ultimately secured fifth place in Sprint Qualifying. Hamilton was in contention for a second-row starting position before a mistake at the hairpin on his final flying lap limited his result. Even so, he described the feeling from the Ferrari as the strongest he has experienced throughout the 2026 campaign.

According to Hamilton, the Sprint Qualifying session in Montreal represented Ferrari's most positive qualifying performance in some time. Speaking in comments reported by RacingNews365, the British driver praised the work carried out alongside the team's engineers to refine the car's setup.

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"It’s probably the best qualifying session we’ve had for some time."

"Great work with the engineers on the set-up changes – the car felt really fantastic from FP1. We made subtle changes going into quali."

Ferrari's performance in Canada has provided encouraging signs. Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc both finished inside the top six during Sprint Qualifying, placing the Scuderia firmly in contention behind the dominant Mercedes pair. While Ferrari still faces a performance deficit, the gap appeared significantly smaller than at several recent events.

The most intriguing aspect of Hamilton's comments concerned his decision to skip simulator preparation. In modern Formula 1, simulator sessions are considered a fundamental part of race-weekend preparation. Hamilton, however, has long expressed reservations about relying heavily on virtual tools compared to direct engineering analysis.

"I was having so much fun out there. Also, the fact that I didn’t do the sim and this is the best I’ve felt all year so I think that’s the way forward for me."

Instead of spending time in the simulator, Hamilton focused on detailed analysis sessions with Ferrari engineers. He explained that the process allowed him to better understand the car's characteristics, particularly in areas such as ride stability, corner balance and mechanical behaviour.

The approach ultimately led to one of the most significant setup decisions of his Ferrari career so far. Hamilton revealed that he selected a configuration the team had never previously used, producing an immediate improvement in the behaviour of the SF-26 around Montreal.

"Yeah, we worked really hard sifting through the data in the last couple of weeks."

"I found that so much more beneficial in terms of one, I was able to just focus on training and not be distracted, and then the second part is just really going through with a fine comb with ride stability, through corner balances and mechanical balance."

"I chose a set-up that we’ve never used before and it’s transformed the car for me, so I hope that bodes well for the rest of the weekend."

The comments suggest Ferrari may be beginning to identify a setup direction better suited to Hamilton's driving style. In an increasingly competitive battle involving Mercedes, McLaren and Max Verstappen, improved driver confidence can often translate directly into stronger qualifying and race performances.

Although Ferrari still faces a significant challenge to match Mercedes in Montreal, Hamilton's optimism offers a positive indication for the remainder of the weekend. If the new setup continues to deliver consistent performance in the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying sessions, the Scuderia could emerge as a genuine contender for a strong result at the Canadian Grand Prix.