Lewis Hamilton Pushes Boundaries with Ferrari in Barcelona Regardless of Excessive-Pace Crash
Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari for the 2025 season is already in full swing, because the seven-time world champion immerses himself in testing and acclimatization. Nonetheless, his newest outing on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya took an sudden flip when a high-speed crash at Flip 12 on Wednesday prematurely ended his session.
Taking to the observe in Ferrari’s SF-23 as a part of a TPC (Testing of Earlier Vehicles) program, Hamilton was scheduled to finish a sequence of runs within the morning earlier than passing the automotive over to his soon-to-be teammate, Charles Leclerc. The check was meant to offer worthwhile insights into Ferrari’s operations and automotive traits forward of the Briton’s full-time integration into the staff subsequent yr.
Sadly, the plan was derailed when Lewis Hamilton misplaced management of the automotive and hit the obstacles at roughly 124mph. The harm proved too in depth to restore in time, forcing Ferrari to cancel the Monegasque’s stint altogether. Regardless of this setback, Ferrari pressed ahead with their testing schedule, permitting Antonio Giovinazzi and younger expertise Dino Beganovic to take over driving duties on Thursday.
Preliminary assessments recommend that Hamilton’s crash could not have been resulting from driver error however slightly an uneven part of the circuit. Regardless, the 40-year-old will likely be desperate to iron out any such points earlier than his extremely anticipated debut in purple on the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Leclerc, in the meantime, took the cancellation of his check day in stride. The Monegasque driver stays unfazed, as he’s entitled to take part in one other TPC session later within the season or through the winter. Ferrari, alternatively, is contemplating an extra check in Barcelona subsequent week as a part of a Pirelli tyre improvement program. In the event that they go for one other TPC session on prime of that, it will stop Hamilton from collaborating in mid-season testing resulting from regulatory restrictions limiting groups to 1,000km of operating throughout 4 days.
Hamilton Shares Encouraging Suggestions with Ferrari Regardless of Incident
Regardless of his premature crash, Hamilton reportedly conveyed “very constructive impressions” to Ferrari engineers following his run. The Briton is about to expertise an unconventional automotive setup throughout subsequent week’s tyre check, as Ferrari and Pirelli work collectively to trial 2026-spec rubber. These checks will incorporate aerodynamic modifications designed to duplicate the downforce ranges anticipated underneath the brand new laws, giving the previous Mercedes man an early glimpse of what to anticipate from the subsequent technology of F1 vehicles.
This rigorous testing program is all a part of Ferrari’s strategic effort to make sure Hamilton’s seamless integration into the staff. The Scuderia is eager to familiarize him with their distinctive working procedures and assist him adapt to the nuances of their equipment. Studies from the Italian day by day newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport point out that the British driver has already been engaged on perfecting Ferrari’s begin process and refining his clutch-release method—an space the place former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz encountered difficulties.
Moreover, Hamilton has been adjusting to Ferrari’s braking system, which employs completely different brake disc specs in comparison with what he was accustomed to at Mercedes. Regardless that his observe time was reduce brief, he reportedly discovered the automotive’s efficiency well-suited to his aggressive driving type, significantly by way of late braking and nook entry velocity—key strengths which have outlined his profession.
Ferrari Identifies Key Areas of Enchancment for Lewis Hamilton Forward of 2025 F1 marketing campaign
Whereas Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari has generated immense pleasure, it additionally comes with excessive expectations. His remaining season with Mercedes in 2024 was underwhelming, with simply two race victories and 5 podium finishes, in the end leading to his lowest championship place—seventh—since his F1 debut. With query marks lingering over how he’ll fare at Ferrari, the staff is working diligently to handle his areas of weak spot.
One main focus is Hamilton’s tyre administration, an space the place he confronted challenges at Mercedes in latest seasons. Ferrari’s technical staff is decided to assist him refine his strategy, making certain he can maximize tyre longevity over race distances.
One other scorching matter has been Hamilton’s age, with some questioning whether or not he can preserve peak bodily situation at 40 years previous. Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has prompt that Hamilton could battle to maintain up with the calls for of the game as he grows older. Nonetheless, Piero Ferrari—son of the legendary Enzo Ferrari—has dismissed such considerations, expressing full confidence in Hamilton’s capability to stay aggressive. In response to Piero, Lewis Hamilton’s superior health and psychological resilience will enable him to excel at Maranello, no matter his age.
With months of preparation nonetheless forward, Hamilton’s journey with Ferrari is barely simply starting. His early impressions point out that the variation course of is progressing properly, regardless of the minor setback in Barcelona. Now, the main target shifts to additional refining his abilities, making certain that when the lights exit in Melbourne, he is able to launch his Ferrari profession in dominant vogue.
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