Breaking:Ferrari make ‘surprise’ decision regarding their final testing following…read more
Ferrari make ‘surprise’ decision regarding their final testing following…read more
Ferrari have made an unexpected decision regarding their final day of testing in Barcelona, following a crash by Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton was involved in a minor accident on day two of the testing session on Wednesday, losing control of his car and hitting the barriers. Fortunately, the seven-time world champion emerged unharmed after the incident. However, the crash required repairs to his car, which affected the running time of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the afternoon session.
Initially, the Ferrari team was uncertain about the cause of Hamilton’s crash but after analyzing the telemetry data, they concluded that the accident was likely caused by a “bump” on the circuit, which unsettled the car. Despite this, Ferrari’s original plan for the test schedule remained largely unaffected. The initial plan had been for both Hamilton and Leclerc to drive on the second day of testing, and for reserve drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Dino Beganovic to take over on day three.
However, in a surprising move, Ferrari decided to follow through with the plan of letting Beganovic, the 21-year-old Swedish driver, take over from Leclerc in the afternoon session, despite Leclerc’s limited running so far. This decision surprised many in the media, as it meant Leclerc would not have as much track time as initially anticipated. Beganovic, who had a promising season in Formula 3 last year, also made an impression in Formula 2 by securing a podium finish in Abu Dhabi. This marked an important step in his career, and Ferrari is giving him more experience behind the wheel of their F1 car.
Leclerc, who has been focused on getting as much time in the car as possible during the testing sessions, will have another opportunity to drive during Ferrari’s upcoming Pirelli tire test scheduled between February 4-6. This test will provide him with additional track time as he prepares for the official pre-season testing in Bahrain, which begins on February 26. The Bahrain session will be the final pre-season test for all 10 teams before the 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off.
Ferrari’s decision to limit Leclerc’s running during the Barcelona tests has raised some questions, but it is likely part of a broader strategy to manage the workload and evaluate different drivers, including their reserve drivers. Leclerc will have another chance to refine his performance in Bahrain, where he will be joined by Hamilton and possibly other members of the Ferrari test team. The schedules for the upcoming tests are yet to be confirmed, but Ferrari is hoping to make the most of these final days of pre-season preparation.
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