The mistake in Spain
Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in Maranello was warmly welcomed by Ferrari fans, with the Englishman also completing his first laps at the Fiorano circuit in the red car. In the following days, the seven-time world champion took part in additional TPC (Test of Previous Cars) sessions at the Barcelona circuit, where he made his first mistake as a Ferrari driver and ended up in the barriers.
David Coulthard’s defense
There were no consequences for the former Mercedes driver, although the incident, which occurred in the final sector, sparked considerable discussion. David Coulthard also shared his perspective on the matter but did not make a big deal out of Lewis Hamilton’s accident: “There’s been a lot of talk about his recent test in Barcelona,” the Scot commented on the *Formula for Success* podcast. “He had a small accident. Every little off-track moment can be called an accident, and it’s a professional risk. It doesn’t matter if you’re the great Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, or Ferrari’s current driver, Lewis Hamilton. Anyone can go off the track at a given moment.”
From Mercedes to Ferrari
Beyond an error that can happen to any driver, David Coulthard also defended Lewis Hamilton from another perspective—his need to adapt to Ferrari’s characteristics after spending his entire Formula 1 career with Mercedes power units and nearly all of it with the German manufacturer’s systems. “I simply see it this way,” continued the 13-time Grand Prix winner. “He has to get used to Ferrari’s control systems and power delivery. These are hybrid engines, so it’s not the natural torque acceleration of an internal combustion engine. The electrical energy comes in a certain way, and I suspect that the Mercedes F1 hybrid engine is so deeply ingrained in his mind that he was simply caught off guard.” – the former Formula 1 driver concluded.
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