Shucking update:Hamilton will not be allowed to test for.....Read more

Hamilton will not be allowed to test for Ferrari

Ferrari fans, known as the passionate Tifosi, have been thrilled by Lewis Hamilton’s transition to the Scuderia, with the British driver donning the iconic red Ferrari racing gear for the first time. His early appearances with the team have created a lot of excitement, particularly after his initial run at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track. This, along with his more prominent test sessions in Barcelona, has garnered significant media attention, making him the subject of much anticipation. Furthermore, Hamilton and his new teammate Charles Leclerc recently participated in Pirelli’s 2026 tyre testing program, further fueling the excitement around Hamilton’s debut with Ferrari.

Despite the growing momentum and eagerness surrounding his move, Hamilton will not be seen behind the wheel for Ferrari until the official pre-season test in Bahrain, scheduled for 26-28 February. Contrary to some speculation, this break isn’t due to any lingering effects from his previous crash in Ferrari’s SF-23 car. Instead, it is the result of strict mileage restrictions placed on testing sessions by the FIA’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) regulations.

Formula One has specific rules that govern how much testing a driver can undertake outside of the official pre-season and in-season testing periods. The TPC rule allows teams to test older cars—those that are at least two years old—so drivers can acclimatize to new machinery. This is particularly relevant in cases like Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, as he needs to familiarize himself with Ferrari’s operations and driving style. However, these TPC tests come with a clear limitation on mileage, capping the amount of testing a driver can do.

Under the current TPC guidelines, drivers are restricted to a maximum of 1,000 kilometers in total across four designated test days. Hamilton has already reached this mileage cap, meaning he cannot participate in any more testing sessions with Ferrari’s older cars before the Bahrain test. His early Ferrari tests were conducted primarily with the SF-23, Ferrari’s 2023 car, as he worked to get a feel for the team’s setup and driving characteristics. However, now that he has exceeded his testing limit, Hamilton is left in a holding pattern until he can join the team again for the pre-season tests in Bahrain, where he will debut in the 2025-spec SF-25.

The FIA’s mileage restrictions on TPC sessions are a direct result of previous incidents where teams exploited these tests to gain an unfair advantage. In the past, teams have used older cars during TPC sessions to refine car setups and gather data that could be applied to the latest race cars. This practice has led to concerns about teams using TPC testing to circumvent official testing limits and gain a competitive edge. One infamous example of this was Max Verstappen’s controversial private testing session in 2024, which raised questions about whether teams were using these sessions to bypass official restrictions on in-season testing.

In light of these issues, the FIA has implemented stricter measures to close potential loopholes, tightening the scope of permissible TPC testing. For Hamilton, this means that despite his enthusiasm and Ferrari’s eagerness to give him as much preparation as possible, he will need to wait until the Bahrain pre-season test to resume his on-track activities with Ferrari. The pause in testing also reflects the FIA’s commitment to ensuring that all teams are operating on a level playing field by restricting any potential advantages gained through excessive or unsanctioned testing.

In summary, while Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has been met with widespread excitement, the strict regulations surrounding testing, particularly the TPC rules, mean that he will have to wait before taking part in any further sessions. After exceeding his allotted mileage in the SF-23, Hamilton will not be able to test again until the Bahrain pre-season tests in February 2025, where he will make his official debut in Ferrari’s new SF-25 car. The regulations are designed to prevent teams from gaining an unfair advantage through excessive testing of older cars, which has led to tighter controls

by the FIA.