Lewis Hamilton’s preliminary Ferrari check was a short however intense expertise. The staff configured the automotive particularly for a Dash race, which is roughly one-third of a full Grand Prix distance.
Lewis Hamilton accomplished a 90km run on the Fiorano circuit, which is situated close to Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello. A lap across the monitor takes slightly below a minute, making the session comparatively brief in period. Teammate Charles Leclerc additionally drove the identical automotive, the SF-23, in a while the identical day. Regardless of the distinction in circumstances, Charles Leclerc was six seconds slower than Hamilton throughout his 14-lap stint, although it’s essential to notice that the circumstances weren’t totally consultant.
The check attracted over a thousand spectators, who gathered in hopes of seeing Hamilton on monitor. Nonetheless, they had been met with a misty, damp ambiance that briefly threatened to postpone the session. Regardless of the difficult climate circumstances, Ferrari managed to hold out their deliberate run, although with some disruptions. This check represented solely a small portion of Hamilton’s general winter testing mileage.
Hamilton’s schedule consists of a number of upcoming key occasions, reminiscent of a Pirelli tyre check in Barcelona and a 2025 automotive shakedown at Fiorano. Following these classes, each Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will cut up three days of testing in Bahrain as a part of the official pre-season preparations.
One of many standout moments throughout Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari outing was his distinctive automotive management, significantly given the “virtually zero grip” circumstances at Fiorano. A report from Motorsport Italy highlighted Hamilton’s optimistic relationship along with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, who has beforehand labored with Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton, who has been accustomed to the steerage of Peter Bonnington at Mercedes for the previous 12 seasons, selected to stay at Brackley and proceed working with Kimi Antonelli for now.
Throughout the check, the British driver did expertise a number of challenges. {A photograph} confirmed him locking up his brakes, though this was not a trigger for concern; it was merely a results of him pushing the automotive tougher to higher perceive its limits. At occasions, he got here near dipping a wheel into the gravel on the monitor’s edges, however he constantly stored the automotive below management, regardless of the tough circumstances.
Hamilton’s popularity for excelling in slippery circumstances is well-known. Despite the fact that final season was statistically one among his most difficult, he delivered an excellent efficiency on the British Grand Prix, the place altering climate circumstances made for a troublesome however rewarding race, culminating in a victory.
His first check for Ferrari attracted important consideration from the Italian media, with Hamilton managing to attract a larger-than-expected crowd regardless of the months of anticipation. Nonetheless, if he continues on the trajectory from final season, there could possibly be widespread disappointment. A easy winter testing interval can be important for him to place himself for fulfillment, however one F1 regulation change might hinder his progress. The brand new TPC rule limits skilled drivers to 1,000km throughout 4 days, and Hamilton has already used almost 10% of this allocation. Curiously, Ferrari had been one of many groups that advocated for this rule change, which can find yourself working in opposition to them.
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