Lewis Hamilton has permanently severed ties with Ferrari’s formal simulator, asserting the move has visibly boosted his performance on the grid.
Steering away from the simulator
Hamilton abandoned the tool at the Canadian Grand Prix after discovering its data correlation was “not good enough” for the car’s real‑world behaviour.
He noted that, while he has used driving simulators since 1997, the high‑fidelity models at Ferrari “can mislead you.” His testimonial echoes earlier years at Mercedes, where he declined to rely on a system that appeared to skew race‑craft.
Points tally tops the paddock
Since stepping back from simulation, Hamilton has amassed 96 points, eclipsing fellow Ferrari driver Kimi Antonelli (79), teammate George Russell (74) and rookie Charles Leclerc (49). Recurring mishaps at Mercedes have humbled their rivals, yet Hamilton’s consistency remains the dominant factor.
Spa‑Francorchamps: endurance over straights
Facing Saturday’s Spa‑Francorchamps test, Hamilton admits Mercedes will likely be better suited to the circuit’s long straights, adding “there’s a gap of three to four tenths” from the last race.
He praised the team’s “continuous optimisation,” describing adjustments that come “every week” rather than the conventional model of a month‑long upgrade phase. This incremental approach, he said, keeps the car “always fine‑tuned and ready for the next weekend.”
His final remark was pragmatic: “We come here not really knowing what to expect, but we’re doing everything we can.”
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