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Lewis Hamilton reveals he didn’t do a lot of laps in the simulator ahead of 2021 pre-season testing and explains why he doesn’t find sim work useful at this stage.
Pre-season testing will commence this weekend in Bahrain, but teams have already started testing their new cars in the simulators. However, Lewis Hamilton reveals he didn’t spend a lot of time on the virtual track.
“I don’t do a lot of simulator stuff,” explains the Briton.
“I have not done a lot of laps on the simulator. I would be guessing I have maybe done 30 laps or something like that.
“The problem with the sim, for example, is we have a new tyre this year, so they can send an idea of the tyre model but we won’t know until we get to the track and test the tyre when we get to Bahrain.
“Then I can feedback the information of how the tyres feel through the corners and then they can update the sim.
“I really kind of need to be here to update it, to say ‘Yes, that is how it feels at the track’. So right now, it is kind of a guesstimate of how the tyre might feel like.
“The aero package has shifted but that combined with those tyres, I don’t like to take too much from it.”
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With Pirelli’s new tyres expected to be less durable, combined with this year’s cars having less downforce, Hamilton says we could witness more pit stops in 2021.
“We have lost rear downforce and that can play a significant role, especially with the tyres also dropping off.
“The new Pirellis are supposed to be more reliable but are supposed to have less grip, probably around eight-tenths off last year’s tyres.
“So undoubtedly the rear could be sliding around more with more thermal degradation this year. So, you could see more stops potentially, but that is all guessing.
“Maybe others have lost less downforce so maybe they will be in a better position,” concluded Hamilton.
