Lewis Hamilton in extra intense sim sessions at Ferrari F1 HQ to find gains
Ferrari’s new star has been working behind the scenes to rediscover his mojo.
Lewis Hamilton underwent rigorous preparation for the Miami Grand Prix in order to bounce back from a difficult start to the 2025 Formula 1 season, it has been revealed.
According to a report by the Gazzetta, Hamilton ramped up his training in the short break at the end of April, after a Japan-Bahrain-Saudi Arabia triple-header in which he struggled in comparison with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
Having previously conceded that there was “no fix” to his issues in the SF-25, the seven-time world champion began chasing answers at Maranello.
Lewis Hamilton in major simulator work before Miami
This involved completing an intense programme on the simulator, which included several meetings with technicians to understand the problems that plagued him in recent races.
This effort went beyond the routine preparations for a sprint weekend, which already requires heavy work in terms of refining the set-up in the simulator.
The Ferrari technicians not only reproduced the same configuration of the car he used in the last two races in the Middle East, but also enabled comparative tests with a special emphasis on how he used the engine. This included verifying any ‘induced imbalance’ of the rear axle while downshifting before a corner.
The detailed analysis will help the Briton to extract the maximum performance from the SF-25 after a Saudi weekend in which he said he didn’t feel comfortable with the car at any point.
While it is now widely accepted that Hamilton hasn’t found the ‘feeling’ he needs since F1 brought back ground-effects in 2022, there has never been a period in the current rule cycle where he has faced such a startling gap to his teammate.
That said, Ferrari has all the tools, resources and personnel to help unlock Hamilton’s potential in the SF-25, which is expected to be very high based on his performance in the Shanghai sprint.
With the second sprint of the year taking place in Miami, now is the best time for him to rediscover his form and get the ‘right feeling’ in his car.
