Lewis Hamilton Speaks Out After Ferrari Testing Incident Ahead of Debut Race
Lewis Hamilton has addressed fans following his latest test with Ferrari, as he prepares for his highly anticipated debut race with the team. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion officially announced his move to the Scuderia back in February 2024, but it wasn’t until January this year that he finally got behind the wheel of one of Ferrari’s iconic red cars.
Since current F1 regulations prohibit drivers from testing the latest cars outside of official sessions, Hamilton’s first experience with Ferrari machinery came in the 2023 SF-23 model. His initial test took place last week at Ferrari’s private Fiorano circuit in Maranello, Italy, before he traveled to Spain for another round of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The Barcelona test was held behind closed doors, meaning no official footage of Hamilton’s laps has been made available. However, reports emerged that the British driver suffered a crash during his time on track. While the details surrounding the incident remain unclear, Hamilton was unharmed. The Ferrari team, however, had to recover the damaged car and take it back to the garage for repairs.
Despite the setback, this is not the first time Hamilton has had a minor accident while adjusting to a new team’s car. Sky Sports’ Craig Slater pointed out that the Mercedes star experienced a similar mishap during his very first pre-season outing with the Silver Arrows back in 2013. That partnership, of course, went on to become one of the most dominant in F1 history, with Hamilton winning six titles with Mercedes.
Following the conclusion of the Barcelona test, Hamilton took to Instagram to share his thoughts. He posted a photo of himself standing at the pit wall, dressed in full Ferrari gear, with a brief but confident caption: “First race can’t come soon enough.”
Hamilton’s official debut with Ferrari will come at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix in March, where fans will finally see him in race conditions with his new team. Despite the early crash, expectations remain high as Hamilton looks to challenge for an eighth world title with Ferrari, a team that has been chasing championship glory since its last drivers’ title in 2007.
