Potential last-minute delay looms over Lewis Hamilton's first..

Potential last-minute delay looms over Lewis Hamilton’s first..Read more

Lewis Hamilton’s 2024 season concluded on a disappointing note, with the seven-time world champion finishing seventh in the Drivers’ Championship. As he shifts his focus to his new venture with Ferrari, Hamilton is eager to kick off his 2025 campaign on a strong note. He hopes that the 2025 car will be designed to enhance his driving abilities, a feature he felt was missing during his tenure with Mercedes.

However, Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari may encounter a slight obstacle as his initial testing schedule is contingent on favorable weather conditions. According to a report from *Motorsport*, Ferrari has devised a flexible testing program to make the most of Hamilton’s limited pre-season opportunities. Due to stringent regulations aimed at controlling costs in modern Formula 1, Hamilton’s first experience with Ferrari’s cars is capped at 1000 kilometers outside the official three-day pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Ferrari has tentatively set Hamilton’s debut test for either January 20 or 21 at their Fiorano test track. This plan is dependent on weather conditions, as the team aims to avoid less-than-ideal track scenarios that could impair Hamilton’s acclimatization to the car. If Fiorano does not provide suitable conditions, Hamilton will shift his testing to Barcelona later in January, where temperatures are likely to be more conducive to effective testing.

The Circuit de Catalunya offers Ferrari a four-day window for testing, which will be crucial