Lewis Hamilton's first laps with Ferrari: what will be allowed during the Fiorano test

Lewis Hamilton’s first laps with Ferrari: what will be allowed during the Fiorano test. It will be a valuable test for Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton, despite regulatory restrictions.

The highlight of Lewis Hamilton’s first week at Maranello will be the scheduled test at Fiorano. Although the regulations are very strict regarding the specifications of the cars that can be used, the test still provides learning opportunities, especially for a driver joining Ferrari after more than a decade with Mercedes. Between simulator work and initial kilometers on track, the Englishman is preparing thoroughly for the tests in Bahrain.

TPC: What the regulations say
Hamilton’s outing at Fiorano falls under what the sporting regulations define as TPC, an acronym for Testing of Previous Cars, which refers to tests using cars from previous years. In these circumstances, teams can use cars that are at least two, three, or four years old—in this case, from 2021, 2022, or 2023. It is realistic to expect that Hamilton will drive a car adhering to the current ground-effect regulations, such as the 2022 F1-75 or the 2023 SF-23.

Each team can only conduct these tests on FIA Grade 1 circuits, which include Fiorano, and must restrict TPC sessions to between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Furthermore, only one car is allowed on track at a time, which means Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will have to alternate behind the wheel.

The regulations prohibit testing updates, specifying that “cars must use only components and software specifications that were used in at least one event or test during a season within the TPC period,” i.e., from 2021 to 2023. Exceptions are allowed in rare cases for “cost, reliability, safety, track conditions, or lack of availability” reasons, but FIA approval is required after submitting a formal request. However, setup adjustments and steering wheel setting changes are permitted, while sensors are limited to those necessary for the car’s safe operation.

The opportunities
Despite the strict regulations, TPC sessions still offer valuable opportunities. Otherwise, the Federation would not have introduced a 20-day and 1,000 km limit on such tests with primary drivers for 2025, to prevent teams from escalating their testing activities. For example, last year, Red Bull conducted a test at Imola with their 2022 car to study issues with curb handling and to compare it with a car considered more drivable than the latest RB20.

Opportunities arise from the fact that every team has a fundamental design philosophy embedded in the DNA of their cars, shaped by their culture and engineering approach. Testing cars from past seasons allows a new driver to adapt to a driving style that remains recognizable even years later, sometimes transcending regulatory changes. The Fiorano outing will therefore be a valuable chance for Lewis Hamilton to familiarize himself with the character of Maranello’s cars after 12 seasons with Mercedes.

The objectives of the test are varied, including gaining familiarity with steering wheel procedures, which involve dozens of switches, hundreds of possible settings, and a layout very different from what the Englishman is accustomed to. However, above all, for Hamilton, the emotion will dominate—between his first kilometers in the Red car and the embrace of the fans. After all, the first time is never forgotten.