HAMILTON AND LECLERC TEST.

MORE TESTS ON THE FERRARI. THE UNDERSTANDING IS ALREADY STRONG.

Originally Published in: Gazzetta dello Sport

Originally Published on: Jan 29th 2025

Originally Written by: Guisto Ferronato

Yesterday, the Prancing Horse tested at Montmelò behind closed doors: Charles on the track in the morning and Lewis in the afternoon. It will be repeated today and tomorrow.

The 2025 Ferrari season has kicked off. The location is Montmeló, Spain, where yesterday the first of three test days with the SF-23 took place, a three-day work period to allow Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and the team to familiarize themselves with setups and procedures in preparation for the upcoming season. After the first crowd event last week in Maranello, with hundreds of fans unable to contain their excitement at witnessing Hamilton's first laps in a single-seater from the overpass overlooking the Fiorano track, the Prancing Horse has been in Catalonia since yesterday to take advantage of the 1000 km allowed by regulations with Previous Cars, single-seaters "old" by at least two seasons. On the private track of the Prancing Horse last week, the seven-time world champion covered 89 km, while Leclerc completed 42.

ⓒ LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT

FAVOURABLE WEATHER Yesterday, the favourable weather was a friend to Ferrari, so they were able to conduct further tests on the much more challenging track on the outskirts of Barcelona. For Hamilton, who took to the track in the afternoon after Leclerc (who worked in the morning), it was not just about better understanding the procedures, refining communication with the engineers at the pit wall. The planned work also included adjusting some details in the cockpit and testing different setups, with the goal of gathering important insights for when they move on to the actual work on the 2025 car. Both drivers, who in recent days have been the stars of the first photo and video shoots for the first images in the official red race suits, worked on their respective programs without encountering any issues, and after the various runs, they discussed with the engineers, relaying the customary feedback.

The work will continue today and tomorrow, strictly behind closed doors. These very first tests, even with the 2023 car, are very important for Hamilton. The 7-time world champion comes from an entire F1 career driving Mercedes engines, so every single kilometer during these days with a different engine is crucial for understanding its reactions and the functioning of the software. Familiarity with the procedures, including pit stop and start tests, constitutes an essential foundation for him. Not least are the adjustments in the cockpit, such as the changes to the pedal layout. Then the Englishman started watching Leclerc's work on the track, with whom, judging by the first smiles, the rapport is already good. For Charles, who had done little running at Fiorano because the track was wet in the afternoon, this was instead the first real opportunity to test himself, especially from a physical standpoint, rediscovering the sensations and efforts typical of an F1.

TRAINING Everything in this phase has value and is not overlooked, including the analysis of starts and the behavior of the car with the tires: 1000 km of valuable information, but overall days whose usefulness is not only for drivers and engineers, but also for the mechanics. This is indeed an opportunity for team members to work in the pits on all the standard operations during race weekends: performing pit stops, assembling and disassembling the cars, power units, gear changes. Being well-prepared for the first official track opportunities is another goal of these three days.

THE DATES The presentation of the new Ferrari is scheduled for February 19, the day after the London event when F.1 will unveil the liveries of all participants in the upcoming World Championship. The new single-seater will run at Fiorano on the same day with both drivers. A highly anticipated date is obviously the trio from February 26-28, when the test session will take place in Bahrain with all rivals on track and the new 2025 single-seaters compared. But before that, on February 4 and 5, Ferrari will be engaged at Montmelo in the development tests of the Pirelli 2026 tires with a modified SF-24 from last year in terms of suspensions and aerodynamic loads to adapt to the new tires, which will be narrower while still maintaining 18-inch rims. On this occasion, McLaren will also be present. The atmosphere within the team is excellent, and there is a strong desire to start, especially since the crowd that gathered at Fiorano in recent days, although expected, has positively impressed and brought enthusiasm within the team. It has been a long time since a few laps at Fiorano triggered such a gathering of fans. Hamilton's arrival has definitely been an adrenaline boost that the red team needs to chase after this long-awaited World Championship that has been missing since 2007.

[Translation proof reading by @F1REAKS / X]