Hamilton says ditching Ferrari simulator has helped him 'massively'

Lewis Hamilton has defended his decision to abandon Ferrari's simulator, insisting the move has fueled his recent surge in form. The seven-time world champion stopped using the Maranello tool ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in May after concluding its poor correlation was undermining his preparation.

Why it matters:

Since stepping away from the simulator, Hamilton has racked up 96 points — the most on the grid. While Mercedes' misfortunes and struggles for Charles Leclerc have played a part, Hamilton insists ditching the tool has been transformative, recalling similar correlation issues during his previous Mercedes tenure.

The details:

• Simulator issues: Hamilton explained that Ferrari's simulator proved misleading throughout last year, much like periods at Mercedes where correlation issues prompted him to stop using it. "Since I stopped, my performance has gone much, much better," he said.
• The numbers: Since the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton has amassed 96 points, clear of Kimi Antonelli (79), George Russell (74), and Charles Leclerc (49).
• Spa outlook: Hamilton expects a tougher fight at Spa-Francorchamps, warning the track's abundance of long straights could expose Ferrari's power deficit more than Silverstone did.
• Upgrade push: Ferrari is now bringing small, iterative upgrades every weekend rather than waiting months for major packages.

What's next:

Hamilton heads to Belgium cautiously optimistic, buoyed by Ferrari's quick-fire development approach. The Scuderia hopes its continuous fine-tuning can offset any straight-line disadvantage against Mercedes, even if Spa's layout presents a stern challenge for the SF-26.