Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has generated more interest in private testing Formula 1 than any other driver.
Thousands of fans arrived at Fiorano for Hamilton’s first outing as a Ferrari driver when he was simply getting accustomed to his new team’s processes and procedures.
Hamilton and new teammate Charles Leclerc then travelled to the Circuit de Catalunya – the home of the Spanish Grand Prix – to get some more miles under their belts.
Unfortunately, Hamilton made headlines again when it was discovered that he had crashed the team’s 2023 car on their second day in Barcelona.
Ferrari had no concerns about Hamilton’s crash and would rather that he pushed the limits when there were no consequences rather than during a qualifying session or in a race.
However, it prevented Leclerc from jumping in the car that afternoon and Ferrari ended up doing a TPC test alongside their Pirelli running this week to make up for his lack of mileage.
Hamilton has previously crashed during testing sessions with McLaren and Mercedes, highlighting his willingness to go all-out even when there’s very little at stake.
David Coulthard was speaking on the Formula For Success Podcast about Hamilton’s crash and explained his theory as to why his crash might have happened.
David Coulthard provides Lewis Hamilton theory after Ferrari testing crash in Barcelona
Coulthard was asked by co-host Eddie Jordan about Hamilton’s crash and said: “Much was made about his recent test in Barcelona, he had a small off there, any small off you can call a crash.
“And I was at the Autosport Awards last night and walking the red carpet. The more tabloidy journalists that were invited to that were all going, ‘Oh, what have you heard about the crash?’
“Going off is an occupational hazard. And it doesn’t matter if you were the late, great Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, or the current Ferrari driver, Lewis Hamilton, we can all have an off at any certain point.
READ MORE: David Coulthard details which aspect of Lewis Hamilton’s performance is now ‘deeply worrying’
“And I see it as simply as this. He has to get used to the control systems in that Ferrari, the power delivery.
“We’re dealing with hybrid engines, so it’s not the sort of natural torque acceleration of an internal combustion engine, electrical energy comes in like that.
“And I suspect it was just, he’s so embedded in his mind about the Mercedes hybrid Formula 1 engine that he was simply caught out.”
David Coulthard left worried by Lewis Hamilton during the 2024 F1 season
It’s safe to say that Hamilton’s final season at Mercedes didn’t go as well as he would have liked.
He was outscored in the drivers’ championship by George Russell despite Hamilton incredible final lap pass on his teammate at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Coulthard was concerned about Hamilton last season, with his race in Qatar not going to plan.
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During the race weekend in Lusail, Coulthard was worried by something Hamilton said about his performance and it’ll be up to Frederic Vasseur to help the seven-time world champion return to his very best.
He’s got plenty of reasons to be extremely motivated, with a highly charged Tifosi ready to cheer him on but also put him under pressure if he’s not delivering the results they expect.
Hamilton hasn’t had to deal with that level of fandom at McLaren or Mercedes although he’s spent years being the focal point of everyone’s attention in the F1 paddock.
