Hamilton crashes Ferrari on second day of testing at Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton suffered a crash on Wednesday during his second day of testing with Ferrari at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who recently joined Ferrari after a 12-year tenure with Mercedes, was unhurt in the incident which reportedly saw the Briton run off the track and clout the barriers.

Ferrari has not issued an official comment on the mishap, which took place as Hamilton continued his adaptation to the team’s 2023 car.

He is sharing driving duties with team-mate Charles Leclerc in Barcelona as part of his extensive integration programme before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 14-16.

However, Hamilton and Leclerc were set to hand over the driving duties to Antonio Giovinazzi and Dino Beganovic on Thursday, but Hamilton's crash has thrown a wrench into Ferrari's testing plans.

The team may now need to adjust their schedule to ensure Leclerc gets adequate track time.

Crash Seen as Part of Adaptation Process

The Scuderia does not regard the crash as unusual, viewing it as part of the natural learning curve as Hamilton familiarizes himself with the characteristics of Ferrari machinery.

Read also: Clarkson’s latest drive-by on Hamilton gets stuck in first gear

Given Formula 1’s strict testing limitations, teams are only permitted to conduct a restricted amount of running with previous models, meaning Hamilton is driving the 2023 Ferrari rather than last season’s challenger.

F1 regulations stipulate that current race drivers can complete a maximum of 1,000 km (621 miles) in what is classified as TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) sessions. Prior to the Barcelona run, Hamilton had completed 30 laps at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track on January 22.

Further Testing Before Season Launch

While Ferrari has not disclosed specific details of its testing programme, the sessions are designed to help Hamilton acclimatize to the team’s procedures and engineering methodologies.

The Briton is also building a working relationship with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, and the rest of the Ferrari technical group.

©Ferrari

Ferrari will officially unveil their 2025 car at Fiorano on February 19, a day after Formula 1’s season launch event at the O2 in London. Before then, Hamilton is set to receive additional testing mileage in a Pirelli-organized tyre test next week at Barcelona on February 4-5.

The test will involve a modified 2024-spec ‘mule’ car, providing Hamilton with more time behind the wheel before pre-season testing officially kicks off.

As a reminder, Formula 1’s official pre-season testing will take place in Bahrain on February 26-28, before the sport’s ten teams headto Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix on March 16.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.