Lewis Hamilton is attempting to get his Formula 1 career back on track after a headline move to Ferrari for the 2025 season.
The seven-time champion will partner Charles Leclerc during the final year before a major technical regulation shake-up.
Hamilton has been preparing for his official Ferrari debut at the Australian Grand Prix in March by testing their 2023 SF-23 car under the new TPC (testing of previous cars) rules.
The 39-year-old has been handed an opportunity to adjust to his new team’s processes and their car’s characteristics at both Fiorano and Barcelona.
Hamilton suffered a 124mph crash in the Barcelona test after losing control of his car on a bumpy part of the circuit.
Not only did it impact his running, but it denied Leclerc any laps too after the car required repairs during the afternoon.
Lewis Hamilton ‘loved’ feeling the road in a Ferrari F1 car
Juan Pablo Montoya called Hamilton’s testing crash a big deal after it dented his preparations and took away some very valuable time on track.
He won’t have to wait too long before getting in the cockpit again though, with a 2026 Pirelli tyre test scheduled for this week at Barcelona again.
Hamilton has been working to address Leclerc’s Ferrari advantage with the younger driver possessing a lot of experience at the team after six seasons together.
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton told he’s unlikely to ‘enjoy’ one aspect of racing for Ferrari during the 2025 Formula 1 season
Peter Windsor believes that the Brit has loved driving a car which he can feel the road with again after his Mercedes struggles.
“In that car, Lewis Hamilton felt better than he’s felt certainly over the last couple of years in Formula 1 in a Mercedes. Probably going back I would think to the beginning of 2022,” he said.
“He loved the feeling of feeling the road again, actually being part of the car and kind of being on top of the car. Getting it to be a part of his DNA and what he does in a racecar. He loved that.”
Lewis Hamilton has one ‘big problem’ that will hurt his Ferrari title chances
One of the most damaging aspects of Hamilton’s 2024 campaign was his inability to match George Russell in qualifying. He struggled to find any consistency on a Saturday.
Hamilton faces one big problem that will hurt his Ferrari title chances and that will be if he fails to improve over one lap relative to new teammate Leclerc.
It will take some time for him to get up to speed in his new machinery, but if they have a title fight on their hands he won’t have any excuses for poor performance.
READ MORE: F1 fans are ‘reignited’ by Ferrari’s new Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc promotion
It goes without saying that making the switch to Italy is a big challenge, but Leclerc thinks Hamilton might struggle in his first Ferrari season.
The Monegasque driver knows that he is one of the fastest drivers in the sport and out-qualifying Hamilton consistently could be a morale killer as he comes to the end of his career.
