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Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Debut Testing Cut Short by Crash in Barcelona
Lewis Hamilton has expressed his eagerness for his first race with Ferrari, saying he “can’t wait” to begin his new chapter in Formula 1. However, his pre-season preparations took an unfortunate turn when he crashed Ferrari’s SF-23 during a private test session in Barcelona.
Hamilton’s First Ferrari Run at Fiorano
The seven-time world champion officially began his journey with the Scuderia last week, spending time at Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters before getting behind the wheel of the SF-23 for the first time. He completed 30 laps around the Fiorano circuit, familiarizing himself with the car and team operations.
Barcelona Test Hampered by Incident
Hamilton was back in action this week, sharing testing duties with his new teammate, Charles Leclerc, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. However, his Wednesday morning session ended prematurely when he lost control of the SF-23 at Turn 12, reportedly after hitting a bump. The car went off track and hit the barriers, sustaining damage to the suspension and bodywork.
Ferrari assured that Hamilton was “absolutely fine” after the crash and downplayed concerns, stating that such incidents are “perfectly normal” as a driver adapts to a new car. However, the damage was significant enough that the team had to send a specialist composites technician to Barcelona to assess and repair the affected parts.
Impact on Ferrari’s Testing Schedule
The crash disrupted Ferrari’s testing plans, preventing Leclerc from running in the afternoon session as originally scheduled. Instead, the team opted to continue with reserve drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Dino Beganovic for the final day of testing.
Not Hamilton’s First Pre-Season Crash
This is not the first time Hamilton has encountered a setback during pre-season testing. He previously crashed in 2007 when he was a rookie with McLaren and again in 2013 after joining Mercedes.
Despite the incident, Hamilton remains optimistic about his upcoming Ferrari debut. With pre-season testing and the season opener approaching, the Briton is focused on adapting to his new car and team as quickly as possible.
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