Piastri Defends F1 Simulator: Different Generation from Hamilton

Oscar Piastri has spoken out on the F1 simulator debate, insisting it remains a useful tool for grand prix preparation, while acknowledging a generational gap with Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton previously said he would not use the simulator after feeling it 'misled' him. Piastri, however, sees it differently, stressing that simulators are a key part of preparation, especially with today's increasingly complex cars.

"I find it useful," Piastri said. "I've grown up in a different generation to what Lewis would have grown up in. Obviously, simulators have been around for a long time, but I get they're not for everyone."

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He added that with modern cars being so complicated, sim running helps both him and the team. "I find that having some simulator running is quite useful, both for myself and the team," he explained.

However, the Australian driver admitted that simulators will never replace the real thing. "They're never going to be perfect, they're never going to be the bulletproof tool, and they're never going to be as good as driving the real car," he said.

Piastri closed with a simple philosophy: "You work with the tools you've got, or you don't, if you think that's better for you." This underlines that every driver has their own approach to the challenges of modern F1.