Lewis Hamilton ends Ferrari’s Barcelona test debut with a late-session gravel scare

Lewis Hamilton ends Ferrari’s Barcelona test debut with a late-session gravel scare. Lewis Hamilton finishes Ferrari’s first Barcelona test session on the SF-26 with a late off-track scare.

Lewis Hamilton wrapped up Ferrari’s afternoon session on the first day of testing at the Barcelona circuit, completing the team’s program while providing a late thrill for fans and engineers alike. Despite the arrival of rain, Ferrari managed to complete its planned work without major issues, with Hamilton putting the SF-26 through its paces in the afternoon.

Rain reshuffles testing plans for other teams

With unstable weather and rain in the forecast, many teams decided to postpone their work to the following days. McLaren, Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac, Haas, and Alpine were among those who delayed. Ferrari, alongside Red Bull, chose to run on the first day. Charles Leclerc completed an impressive 64 laps in the morning, testing the SF-26 on both wet and dry conditions, and shared his first impressions of the car. In the afternoon, Hamilton faced heavier rain and a different program.

Over 120 laps for Ferrari, Hamilton ends in gravel

The Italian team’s main focus was accumulating mileage and gathering data on the SF-26’s core technical setup and engine reliability. The Briton joined the track after the usual lunch break, around 14:20. He began with an installation lap to ensure everything was functioning properly, then started his program. With the track still wet, Lewis Hamilton couldn’t match Charles Leclerc’s dry-time pace in the morning, finishing with a 1:32.872 across 56 laps. Combined with Charles Leclerc, Ferrari reached a total of 120 laps for the SF-26 on day one.

At around 17:25, Isack Hadjar went off track in a heavy crash at Turn 14, severely damaging the rear of his Red Bull and bringing out a red flag. A crane was required to remove the car. In the final ten minutes, Hamilton returned to the track but ended up in the gravel—fortunately without consequences—and managed to return to the pits under his own power. A tense finish on a very slippery track, but an overall positive day for Ferrari, having surpassed 100 laps despite the rain.

These additional laps provide valuable mileage for Maranello’s Power Unit, adding to the 318 laps accumulated across previous sessions with Cadillac and Haas. Ferrari has decided to modify its program, skipping track time on Wednesday, January 28, and focusing instead on Thursday, January 29, and Friday, January 30, ahead of a more aggressive SF-26 debut in Bahrain.