Lewis Hamilton has faced an unexpected bump on his journey with Ferrari, having crashed the team's 2023 car during pre-season testing in Spain. The incident occurred on Wednesday, his second day on the circuit at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Despite the crash, Hamilton emerged unscathed as he navigates the intricacies of a new vehicle after a long stint with Mercedes.
Ferrari confirmed that they would not be making any official statement regarding the crash, which took place during Hamilton's efforts to familiarize himself with the car's dynamics. This crash is particularly notable as Ferrari is striving to seamlessly integrate Hamilton into their team dynamics ahead of the upcoming season, which kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix scheduled for 14-16 March.
Team insiders seem to view the crash as a routine part of Hamilton's learning curve, considering that he is adjusting to a markedly different car after12 years with Mercedes. Hamilton's limited testing mileage is also compounded by Formula 1's stringent regulations, permitting drivers only 1,000 km (621 miles) of testing with previous models.
So far, Hamilton has completed 30 laps at Ferrari's Fiorano test track before transitioning to the three days of running at Barcelona. While specifics regarding the current testing program remain under wraps, Hamilton is reportedly working closely with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, to integrate into the team's strategies and methodologies.
Looking ahead, Ferrari is set to unveil their 2025 car on 19 February, a day after their season launch event at the O2 in London. To further bolster Hamilton's familiarity with the Ferrari brand, additional testing on Pirelli tires is also scheduled. Next week, Ferrari will continue testing at Barcelona on 4-5 February, rolling out a modified 2025 car that reflects the anticipated 2026 regulations changes. Meanwhile, McLaren is engaging in similar Pirelli tests at Paul Ricard, as they prepare for the evolving demands of the sport.
