F1 2026: Maximizing Performance with the SF26, Lewis Hamilton Shakes Up His Pre-Race Routine for the Canadian GP

Ferrari recently updated the SF26 with 11 key components ahead of the Miami GP, aiming to catch up or at least draw even with Mercedes' speed.

However, instead of taking on Mercedes, Ferrari was outdone by McLaren.

Following this, Maranello went back to the drawing board, making further upgrades to the SF26 for Lewis Hamilton, the 7-time F1 champion who has yet to achieve success with Ferrari.

Notably, Hamilton has also undergone a significant change in his pre-race routine, dedicating himself to intense simulator training - an activity he has never attempted since his time at Mercedes.

This new approach is part of his strategy to shake up his pre-race routine ahead of the Canadian GP, set to take place from 22-24 May.

'I need to change the way I prepare for the next race because the method we've been using so far hasn't been effective,' Hamilton said in an interview with TotalMotorsport.

In essence, the British driver explained that he doesn't enjoy simulaton and doesn't believe it translates well to real-life racing, but he's putting aside his reservations to improve his performance.

'I generally don't like simulators, but I'm currently in the simulator to prepare for the race and continue working on the correlation,' he said. 'Let's see how it goes.'

So far, Hamilton has accumulated 51 points across the first four races, putting him fifth in the Drivers' Championship, 49 points behind the leader, Kimi Antonelli. His teammate, Leclerc, is in third place, 8 points ahead of Hamilton.