Hamilton F1: Lewis Hamilton Fits Fifth in Canada With No-Simulator Plan
hamilton f1 turned a fifth-place Sprint Qualifying run into a clear message in Montreal. Lewis Hamilton said he wants to keep skipping Ferrari's simulator after finishing fifth at the Canadian Grand Prix, and he left the session sounding convinced the approach suits him better.
He said the car felt fantastic from P1 and called it “probably the best qualifying session we've had for some time.” That matters because he beat Charles Leclerc for the first time in a competitive on-track session since the second round in China.
“I was having so much fun out there. And, also, the fact that I didn't do the sim, and it was the best I've felt all year, so I think that's the way forward for me.” Hamilton also said, “I found that so much more beneficial in terms of, one, I was able to just focus on training and not be distracted,” before adding, “And the second part is just like really going through with a fine comb on ride stability, through corner balances and mechanical balance.”
Hamilton at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Hamilton's past record in Canada gives this result extra weight. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was the site of his maiden pole position and victory at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007, and this fifth-place effort arrives after he had been clearly outperformed by Leclerc in Japan and Miami.
He also said the weekend setup played a major role. “And I chose a setup that we've never used before and it's transformed the car for me, so I hope that bodes well for the rest of the weekend.”
Ferrari's Montreal setup
Ferrari came to Canada without upgrades, while Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull arrived with new parts for the weekend. Hamilton said the three-week gap since the last race gave Ferrari time to sift through the data and understand the car, and that extra time appears to have lined up with a cleaner execution in qualifying.
For Hamilton, the immediate takeaway is simple: the simulator stay away. He has a result to back up that view now, and Leclerc's edge on the season's last two stops did not carry into this session in Montreal.
What comes next for the Ferrari driver is the rest of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend with the same preparation plan, the same setup direction, and a grid position that gives him a real platform after a session he said felt the best all year.
