Lewis Hamilton Credits Major Preparation Change For Ferrari Breakthrough In Canada
Lewis Hamilton believes a significant adjustment to his race preparation played a major role in delivering his strongest Formula 1 weekend yet with Scuderia Ferrari at the Canadian Grand Prix.
After enduring a difficult and inconsistent start to his Ferrari career since leaving Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, Hamilton finally produced his best grand prix result with the Italian team by finishing second in Montreal.
The seven-time world champion delivered a great performance throughout the weekend, eventually overtaking Max Verstappen late in the race to secure the runner-up position. He also outperformed teammate Charles Leclerc across the entire weekend and led Ferrari’s charge from fifth on the grid.
Hamilton Enjoys Strongest Ferrari Weekend Yet
Hamilton admitted that the weekend in Montreal felt different from the beginning, explaining that he immediately felt comfortable with the car and the overall setup.
For Hamilton, the entire event was enjoyable, saying every lap throughout the weekend felt positive. He also highlighted his connection with the Montreal circuit, which has historically been one of his favorite tracks on the Formula 1 calendar. The result marked Hamilton’s first second-place finish since joining Ferrari and represented a major confidence boost after months of frustration and adjustment.
He stated that it took a great deal of effort behind the scenes to get to this point, with lots of technical discussion and modification to get him more comfortable in the car. He also praised Ferrari for standing by him during the difficult adjustment period after his move to the team.
Preparation Changes Made the Difference
One of the biggest factors in Hamilton’s breakthrough moments was a considerable change in how he prepared for race weekends. Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton focused more on data analysis and setup work with his engineers.
The new approach helped him find a more balanced and comfortable feel with the car, allowing him to extract stronger performance throughout the weekend. He also commended his engineering team this weekend, saying his race engineer is excellent to work with and he got help from the engineering team to handle the car better.
Ferrari’s Adjustments Are Finally Paying Off
Hamilton said that some changes suggested to the setup and on track are starting to pay off and have been underway over the past couple of months. He said he was helped through the process by Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, who was very supportive throughout and helped make adjustments to boost his confidence in the cockpit. The Brit said it was now a better system, and he could start the corners in much the same way and really drive in the way he wanted to.
Hamilton Questions Simulator Use
In fact, one of the most fascinating things that Hamilton has said in the course of his weekend was that he felt that he was doing better without taking too many simulator sessions before races. Simulators are valuable development tools, but he said he doesn’t think they are a crucial factor in his own preparation process.
Only he and Leclerc truly understand how the real Ferrari performs on track, and “simulator feedback is not the same as real-world feedback.” He said he still sees value in using the simulator after races to compare data and help Ferrari continue improving its car.
“Old School” Approach Paying Off
Hamilton also recalled his previous successful years, noting that he had many successful seasons that did not include much simulator time. He suggested that experience, instinct, and direct feel for the car remain more important to him than virtual preparation tools.
The 41-year-old Hamilton thinks that his “old school” style might work best at this stage of his career. The Canadian Grand Prix could be his turning point after months of speculation about his deal with Ferrari.
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