Ferrari’s preparations for the 2025 Formula 1 campaign faced an early hurdle when Lewis Hamilton crashed the SF-23 during testing in Barcelona.
The Maranello squad began its on-track preparations with a session at Fiorano last week—Lewis Hamilton’s first official run as a Ferrari driver. The Brit took to the track after Charles Leclerc, as TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) regulations prohibit them from running simultaneously.
Although Hamilton lapped six seconds quicker than Leclerc, this was due to the Monegasque driver not having the opportunity to run in dry conditions. Moreover, neither driver was pushing the car to its limits at this stage.
This week, Ferrari continued testing in Barcelona, with the seven-time world champion heading out first before Charles Leclerc. Unlike Fiorano, Ferrari encouraged Hamilton to explore the limits of the car at the Spanish Grand Prix venue.
A major focus for Ferrari has been improving Hamilton’s tyre management, an area of concern during his final season with Mercedes in 2024. However, on Wednesday, the Brit crashed, bringing an abrupt end to both his and Charles Leclerc’s running.
Ferrari has downplayed the significance of the incident, calling it a “minor” setback, but the crash could still have consequences for Hamilton’s first campaign in red.
Lewis Hamilton’s in-season testing could be affected if Ferrari runs an additional Barcelona test
The crash has inevitably raised eyebrows, given Hamilton’s underwhelming performance with Mercedes last season. However, early reports suggest the incident may have been caused by a bump on the circuit rather than driver error.
Regardless, Ferrari’s testing plans were disrupted, with Leclerc’s Wednesday run canceled due to damage sustained in the crash. Speculation arose that Ferrari would adjust its schedule to compensate for lost track time.
According to Autosport, however, no changes will be made. Ferrari will continue with its original plan, handing over the SF-23 to Antonio Giovinazzi and Dino Beganovic for Thursday’s running.
As a result, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have already left Barcelona, with both set to return next week for a Pirelli tyre test.
Ferrari is also considering extending its stay in Barcelona to complete a fourth testing day following the Pirelli sessions. However, doing so would see the team hit the 1,000km limit under TPC regulations, which would prevent Hamilton from participating in any further in-season tests.
This could prove costly for the seven-time champion, as TPC sessions allow teams to gather valuable data during the season. Max Verstappen, for instance, completed a TPC test in the RB18 ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, which played a crucial role in his 2024 title defense.
Lewis Hamilton’s crash follows a curious trend—and sparks title predictions
Hamilton’s Barcelona crash continues a peculiar pattern in his career that some believe bodes well for his future success at the Maranello team. In 2013, he crashed during his first test for Mercedes at Jerez, only to win the world title the following year and five more championships in the seasons that followed. A similar incident occurred in 2007, when the British driver crashed in his first McLaren test at Valencia—just a year before claiming his maiden world title.
With this trend in mind, some fans are already speculating that history could repeat itself, predicting a Ferrari championship in 2026.
Former F1 driver Damon Hill also weighed in on Hamilton’s latest crash, jokingly referring to the 40-year-old as “a crashing bore” while noting his habit of bouncing back from early testing incidents to achieve success.
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