Hamilton sticks to old-school approach after Montreal podium: 'I'm better without it'

He made it crystal clear after his underwhelming sixth-place finish in Miami, and he has stayed true to his word. The seven-time world champion claimed his first podium of the season in Shanghai during the second race weekend without using the simulator, while his second came in Montreal under very similar circumstances - his second podium since the start of his Ferrari adventure.

"I'm not gonna go on the simulator between now and the next race" he said back then. "I'll still go and hold meetings at the factory and stuff, but I'm just going to back away from it for a little bit and see. Because when we went to China, I had the best weekend without the sim."

Speaking after the race in Montreal, the Brit explained that his two strongest performances had both come on weekends in which he had not used the simulator, insisting he had always performed better with a more old-school approach throughout most of his career. He also stressed that, while the simulator can still be a useful development tool for the team, he no longer sees it as necessary for his race preparation.

He then added that driving the real car allowed him to provide far more accurate feedback on the issues Ferrari still needs to address, helping the team better understand what is currently missing from the package. Hamilton also reiterated his willingness to support the development process, while admitting he is unlikely to use the simulator again for race preparation due to the risks he believes it brings.

“The positive of something like being able to drive the real car is going back and saying: this is actually what it feels like, these are the things that we're missing, so that we can improve it. I'm always there to help the team move forward and develop it. Now, whether or not I use it to prepare for another race, probably not. It's just too many risks.”

Speaking after the race, the seven-time world champion admitted the past year had been extremely difficult, making Ferrari’s breakthrough weekend in Montreal feel even more rewarding. Hamilton explained that reaching this level of performance had required enormous effort behind the scenes, with both himself and the team working relentlessly to finally unlock a set-up capable of suiting his driving style.

The Brit also revealed that Ferrari opted for a different direction with the car set-up throughout the weekend after carefully analysing the data, something that finally allowed him to fully attack the corners and drive the car in a much more natural way. One of the defining moments of the race was Hamilton’s wheel-to-wheel fight with Verstappen, a battle that immediately brought back memories of their iconic title duel in 2021. Hamilton admitted that chasing and fighting at the front had always been what motivated him most throughout his entire career.

Away from the circuit, the Ferrari driver also revealed he had spent the weekend in Montreal alongside his mother, with the pair enjoying quiet evenings together after each session, either watching films or simply talking late into the night.