Ferrari’s second day of private testing in Barcelona continued with a significant moment in the afternoon, as Lewis Hamilton finally took to the track at the wheel of the SF-26. The British driver began his running after a highly productive morning session completed by Charles Leclerc, who covered more than sixty laps despite changing weather conditions.
The Maranello team approached the day with a clear and methodical plan, dividing the workload between its two drivers to maximise data collection. Charles Leclerc was entrusted with the morning session, where he ran extensively in both dry and wet conditions, providing Ferrari with valuable reference points across a wide operating window. His long run allowed the engineers to evaluate baseline balance, tyre behaviour and the car’s reaction to evolving track conditions.
Once the afternoon session began, attention shifted to Lewis Hamilton, who officially started his 2026 on-track programme with Ferrari in Barcelona. The seven-time world champion eased into the session as rain continued to influence grip levels, focusing primarily on system checks, procedural work and familiarisation with the SF-26 rather than outright lap time.
This structured handover between drivers underlines Ferrari’s current philosophy during the early phase of testing. With limited days available and unpredictable weather, the priority is clearly reliability, correlation and understanding the car’s behaviour rather than chasing performance headlines. Lewis Hamilton’s initial laps were therefore aimed at building confidence and giving engineers a second, highly experienced reference to compare with Charles Leclerc’s morning feedback.
From a technical perspective, the conditions offered Ferrari a useful opportunity. Running in low-grip scenarios allows teams to stress certain systems, evaluate traction management and assess how the new aerodynamic platform behaves when airflow conditions are far from ideal. For a car like the SF-26, still in its infancy, this type of running can be just as valuable as laps completed on a perfectly dry circuit.
The video footage from the afternoon shows Lewis Hamilton gradually increasing his pace, working through installation laps and short runs as Ferrari carefully monitored data from the pit wall. There was no indication of urgency, reinforcing the idea that this phase of testing is about building a solid foundation rather than extracting maximum speed.
Charles Leclerc’s earlier work also played an important role in shaping the afternoon programme. By completing over sixty laps in mixed conditions, the Monegasque helped Ferrari validate initial simulations and ensure that the SF-26 behaved consistently as grip levels changed. This allowed the Maranello team to hand over a well-understood car to the British driver, reducing variables during his first extended outing.
Overall, Ferrari’s day in Barcelona reflects a disciplined and pragmatic approach. Splitting the sessions between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ensures balanced input from both drivers, while the focus remains firmly on data quality and long-term development rather than short-term performance indicators.
As testing continues, further analysis will follow once Ferrari has completed additional mileage in more stable conditions. For now, the priority remains clear: understanding the SF-26 in every scenario, building confidence in its systems, and laying the groundwork for more performance-focused running later in the programme.
Ferrari’s second day of private testing in Barcelona continued with a significant moment in the afternoon, as Lewis Hamilton finally took to the track at the wheel of the SF-26. The British driver began his running after a highly productive morning session completed by Charles Leclerc, who covered more than sixty laps despite changing weather conditions.
The Maranello team approached the day with a clear and methodical plan, dividing the workload between its two drivers to maximise data collection. Charles Leclerc was entrusted with the morning session, where he ran extensively in both dry and wet conditions, providing Ferrari with valuable reference points across a wide operating window. His long run allowed the engineers to evaluate baseline balance, tyre behaviour and the car’s reaction to evolving track conditions.
Once the afternoon session began, attention shifted to Lewis Hamilton, who officially started his 2026 on-track programme with Ferrari in Barcelona. The seven-time world champion eased into the session as rain continued to influence grip levels, focusing primarily on system checks, procedural work and familiarisation with the SF-26 rather than outright lap time.
This structured handover between drivers underlines Ferrari’s current philosophy during the early phase of testing. With limited days available and unpredictable weather, the priority is clearly reliability, correlation and understanding the car’s behaviour rather than chasing performance headlines. Hamilton’s initial laps were therefore aimed at building confidence and giving engineers a second, highly experienced reference to compare with Leclerc’s morning feedback.
From a technical perspective, the conditions offered Ferrari a useful opportunity. Running in low-grip scenarios allows teams to stress certain systems, evaluate traction management and assess how the new aerodynamic platform behaves when airflow conditions are far from ideal. For a car like the SF-26, still in its infancy, this type of running can be just as valuable as laps completed on a perfectly dry circuit.
The video footage from the afternoon shows Lewis Hamilton gradually increasing his pace, working through installation laps and short runs as Ferrari carefully monitored data from the pit wall. There was no indication of urgency, reinforcing the idea that this phase of testing is about building a solid foundation rather than extracting maximum speed.
Charles Leclerc’s earlier work also played an important role in shaping the afternoon programme. By completing over sixty laps in mixed conditions, the Monegasque helped Ferrari validate initial simulations and ensure that the SF-26 behaved consistently as grip levels changed. This allowed the team to hand over a well-understood car to Hamilton, reducing variables during his first extended outing.
Overall, Ferrari’s day in Barcelona reflects a disciplined and pragmatic approach. Splitting the sessions between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ensures balanced input from both drivers, while the focus remains firmly on data quality and long-term development rather than short-term performance indicators.
As testing continues, further analysis will follow once Ferrari has completed additional mileage in more stable conditions. For now, the priority remains clear: understanding the SF-26 in every scenario, building confidence in its systems, and laying the groundwork for more performance-focused running later in the programme.
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