Leclerc rejects Hamilton's Ferrari simulator approach ahead of Monaco GP

After finishing a disappointing P6 in Miami, Hamilton vowed not to use the simulator ahead of Montreal, even though he admitted it was a "powerful tool." The seven-time world champion then had his best weekend in red in Canada, with a P2 finish only encouraging him to stick with his "old school" approach.

Speaking in Montreal, Hamilton said: "If you look at the two best races I've had, I didn't use a simulator. That's honestly how it was. All the championships before, except for probably 2008, I didn't use a sim. It's not a necessity. It's a tool that can be powerful, but for me, I'm old school. I'm probably better without it."

While the data certainly seems to suggest Hamilton's new direction is certainly bearing fruit, former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley revealed the Briton's approach has been met with shrugged shoulders in Maranello.

Speaking on the High Performance Racing Podcast, Smedley said: "I spoke to a couple of guys there who kind of shrugged their shoulders when I asked about it."

Speaking during the pre-Monaco GP press conference on Thursday, Leclerc, off the back of his multi-year Ferrari contract extension, doubled down on his intention to stick with the Scuderia's sim, despite being second best to Hamilton all throughout the Montreal weekend - the Monegasque finished just outside the podium in P4.

When asked whether Hamilton's changed approach affect his own race preparation, Leclerc said: "It doesn’t affect my preparation at all. At the end, I think we all have our preferences. For me, the simulator has been working very well. This is what I’ve done arriving in Formula 1.