Charles Leclerc has joined Lewis Hamilton for both of his Ferrari tests so far. But the run plan in Barcelona this week was curtailed.
Leclerc has driven for Ferrari since 2019, so it’s Hamilton who needs to adapt. But Fred Vasseur is treating both of his drivers equally.
That’s why he’s invited the Monegasque to take part in the 2023 car tests. On the face of it, they have limited value, aside from building his sharpness perhaps.
But the team are conducting some experiments that could be useful for the coming season. For instance, Ferrari were addressing tyre temperature issues in Spain this week.
Hamilton and Leclerc completed relatively short runs at Fiorano, but the programme for Barcelona was more extensive. While the first day of running went smoothly, the seven-time world champion hit the barriers on Wednesday morning.
Hamilton may have been caught off guard by a bump, but whatever the cause, the end result was the same. The Ferrari needed several hours of repair work, and Leclerc wasn’t able to take to the track in the afternoon.
Why Charles Leclerc wasn’t ‘disappointed’ by Lewis Hamilton’s testing crash
After losing control at the final corner, Hamilton broke his front suspension and damaged some aerodynamic parts. While the driver was completely fine, this was clearly a considerable impact.
Ferrari could have invited both their drivers, or solely Leclerc, to stay for an extra day and make up the lost mileage. But in the end, they fielded reserve Antonio Giovinazzi and academy talent Dino Beganovic on Thursday as planned.
Ferrari still have another day remaining in their annual TPC allocation. According to journalist Giuliano Duchessa, Leclerc ‘was not too disappointed’ by the outcome.
He knows he can ‘make up his TPC day later’, whether that’s during the winter or in-season. Duchessa also clarifies that the damage ‘has no impact on the budget cap’.
Piero Ferrari expresses one Charles Leclerc concern after Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari
The Ferrari drivers won’t have to wait long before they can return to the track. They’ll take part in a Pirelli tyre test, again in Barcelona, next week.
With 2026 the focus, the cars will be stripped of downforce and weight. Hamilton and Leclerc must get used to an ‘unprecedented’ set-up.
Come the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton’s qualifying pace relative to the fearsome Leclerc will be under close scrutiny. Likewise, the 27-year-old must prove he’s a match for the veteran on a Sunday.
Piero Ferrari says Leclerc faces a ‘generational issue’ this season. While he brings ‘freshness’ to the team, he’s up against ‘experience and solidity’ on the other side of the garage.
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