Ferrari using sim sessions to ‘erase’ Hamilton’s Mercedes memory

Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari journey has officially begun, but the Scuderia is leaving no stone unturned in their quest to help their new star driver adapt to his new surroundings.

According to reports in Italian media, Ferrari has embarked on an ambitious programme to "erase" Hamilton's Mercedes memories, utilizing the team's state-of-the-art simulator to reprogram his driving style.

After 12 years of driving for Mercedes, Hamilton must now acclimate to a new car, a new team, and a new philosophy.

To facilitate this transition, Ferrari engineers are putting the Briton through his paces in the simulator, exposing him to various configurations and adjustments, according to a report from La Gazetta dello Sport.

The goal? To help him shed any ingrained Mercedes driving habits and adapt to the unique characteristics of the Ferrari car.

Wiping the Memory Clean

Sources within Ferrari claim that the team has been deliberately tweaking suspension calibrations, engine maps, and load levels to challenge Hamilton and push him out of his comfort zone.

The approach aims to ‘mentally eliminate the spurious effects and sensations that are provided by hydraulic actuators controlled by profoundly different mathematical models’.

Read also:

• Hamilton: Ferrari debut ‘one of the best feelings in my life’

The report also reveals that a simulated model of Ferrari’s 2025 chassis, codenamed Project 677, is already operational.

This will allow Hamilton to make a direct comparison between the 2024 and 2025 cars ahead of Project 677’s official launch on February 19.

Ferrari is reportedly conducting detailed briefings with Hamilton both before and after each simulator session.

These sessions aim to gather his feedback and better understand his preferences regarding setup and vehicle dynamics.

Back to School Feeling

On Wednesday at Fiorano, Hamilton enjoyed his track debut with the Scuderia, the seven-time world champion completing a programme of 30 laps behind the wheel of Ferrari’s 2023 car.

After the lunch break, Charles Leclerc took over testing duties, adding 14 laps on a wet track to Ferrari’s lap count.

Scuderia boss Fred Vasseur was on site to witness Hamilton’s debut as well as the team’s early preparations.

“As is the case every year, the first time you go out on track is a bit like the first day back at school and quite an emotional feeling, especially today as it was Lewis’ first day as part of the team,” commented Vasseur.

“Welcoming a new driver is always an important moment. Maybe today was less special for Charles, but it was good to see him fit, relaxed and keen to go racing again.

“As for the technical side, Charles and Lewis did their laps in not the best weather, but they got back in the swing of things and immersed themselves in the track environment prior to the first proper test in a month’s time in Bahrain. It was also a warm-up for the team in the garage.

“That was the sole purpose of today.”

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook