Lewis Hamilton Crashes During Second Ferrari Test In Barcelona
Lewis Hamilton is continuing to prepare for his new career as a Ferrari driver by testing the new car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Formula 1 analysts are excited about Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, with some predicting he might finally get the ever-elusive eighth World Championship title. However, although the odds for Ferrari to win the first race of the 2025 season are promising at +145, Hamilton’s odds are worse than his teammates, with +700 and +400 respectively. The latest betting options offering the best lines might change these odds as pre-season testing concludes in February.
Hamilton, along with teammate Charles Leclerc, has been driving the 2023 car around the Spanish Grand Prix track to gain experience and get a feel for the car. This is especially important for Hamilton, who has spent the past 12 years as a driver for the Mercedes F1 team.
This week’s laps in Barcelona are the second round of testing, with the first round being concluded at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track earlier in the month where Hamilton completed 30 laps.
During the testing, Hamilton is not just getting used to driving a Scarlet Ferrari but also has to learn to work together with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, as well as the rest of the team.
Disaster struck on the second day of testing at the Spanish circuit when the seven-time world champion crashed his car. Hamilton walked away from the incident unharmed and remained dedicated to working with the team and getting the car sorted so that Leclerc could complete his own testing. The car was meant to be handed over to Leclerc on January 29, but it has been slightly delayed following the crash.
According to Motorsport, the car slid into the barriers in the third sector, sustaining damage to the suspension and aerodynamic bodywork.
Ferrari is reportedly not concerned about the accident, considering the situation a standard part of initiating a driver into a new team and pushing the limits of the 2023-spec machinery. The team declined to comment when questioned and remains convinced the crash is not abnormal.
The Barcelona testing is happening behind closed doors. As with all testing situations, Hamilton is restricted in how much mileage he can rack up in the Ferrari before the 2025 season kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne 14-16 March. Drivers are allowed to complete up to 621,4 miles (1000 km) in old-spec cars—which is only 215 laps at the Barcelona circuit.
Ferrari appears to have no concerns about Hamilton’s ability to adjust to their machinery, despite the recent incident where he went off track. Speaking to F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto, the team principal of Ferrari Fred Vasseur said that it was a “rush” to get Hamilton going but that he had no concerns about the World Champion getting up to speed. Although this statement was made before the accident, Vasseur claimed, “I’m not worried at all. He’s coming with experience of this. He did almost 20 seasons in F1—and he will manage perfectly this period.”
Once the car is back up and running, Hamilton will continue to gain more experience in a Ferarri when the team undergoes two days of Pirelli tire testing at the same track in February. This testing will happen in a 2024-spec car; the same car that claimed five Grand Prix titles last year. However, the car has been modified to mimic the future characteristics of the 2026 car.
Hamilton and Leclerc will only get their hands on the 2025 car on February 19 at the Fiaorano circuit with the official launch of the latest model. They will then take the machinery to Bahrain for pre-season testing at the end of February.
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