What Lewis Hamilton told Ferrari engineers after 124mph crash in Barcelona test should be…read more
Lewis Hamilton’s preparations for the 2025 Formula 1 season with Ferrari took a hit during a recent test session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. The seven-time world champion was testing the SF-23 as part of a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) session, aimed at familiarizing himself with the team’s car and operations ahead of the 2025 season. However, his test was abruptly cut short after he crashed into the barriers at Turn 12, hitting the wall at a speed of 124 mph.
The crash was significant enough to end Hamilton’s session early, and the damage to the car was too severe to allow teammate Charles Leclerc to take over for his scheduled run. Despite this setback, Ferrari did not adjust their testing schedule. On Thursday, Ferrari had Antonio Giovinazzi and Dino Beganovic take over the SF-23 for the remainder of the test.
It’s believed that the crash was likely caused by a bump in the track, rather than a driver error. Nonetheless, Hamilton will be keen to put such incidents behind him before the start of the 2025 season, which kicks off in Australia in March. Leclerc, whose test session was canceled, was reportedly not too disappointed by the change, as he knows he’ll have other opportunities to run a TPC session during the season or later in the winter.
In the coming week, Ferrari will return to Barcelona for a Pirelli tire test and might extend the session by an extra day for another TPC run. However, this would prevent Hamilton from participating in any mid-season testing, as Ferrari would have reached the 1,000 km limit set by regulations for four days of testing.
Despite the crash, Hamilton provided Ferrari engineers with positive feedback. According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Hamilton was impressed with the SF-23’s performance, particularly noting that the car suited his aggressive driving style. He felt comfortable with the car’s braking system, which features different discs than those used in his previous Mercedes car. Hamilton also became familiar with the team’s start procedure and clutch release mechanism, which had previously been a challenge for his predecessor, Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton’s feedback is crucial as Ferrari works to integrate him into their team and get him accustomed to their operations ahead of the 2025 season. During the test, Hamilton also had the opportunity to experience modifications to the car to simulate the downforce levels that will come with the 2026 regulations, giving him a glimpse of what’s to come. Overall, despite the crash, Hamilton’s first impressions of the Ferrari car have been very positive, and he remains focused on refining his connection with the team as the new season approaches.
