Lewis Hamilton recaps Ferrari’s “very challeng...

Ferrari’s first day of 2026 Method 1 pre-season testing was made “very difficult” by the rain however featured “no main points”, Lewis Hamilton recapped.

F1 has reconvened for a gap five-day check behind closed doorways at Barcelona, with groups allowed to run on three of these days.

After shaking down its new SF-26 at Fiorano on Friday with a 15km Demonstration Occasion, Ferrari opted to skip the primary day of operating – in contrast to most squads – and as an alternative run on Tuesday.

That day was largely shunned by rival groups, with solely Crimson Bull becoming a member of the Scuderia on observe, because of the risk of rain within the afternoon; precipitation appeared on the Catalan observe even sooner, midway by way of the morning.

This meant Charles Leclerc and Hamilton needed to cope with precarious observe circumstances within the morning and the afternoon respectively, however they nonetheless coated a whopping 121 laps in response to unofficial timing.

“Very difficult right this moment, clearly, as a result of it began raining at 10:30, so clearly Charles had a little bit of dry running, however then it has been moist all afternoon, so determining find out how to get the tyres working,” Hamilton recounted.

“It was actually productive, I feel we bought about 120 laps or one thing like that; given it is within the moist circumstances and we had a pink flag and that, I feel that is fairly strong.

“So, actually happy with everybody again on the manufacturing unit for getting the automotive thus far, and we bought numerous info on the automotive right this moment. We undoubtedly must stick with it, tons and plenty to do, however a very good first day.”

A key facet to this check is F1’s brand-new chassis and engine laws, that includes energetic aerodynamics and a near-50:50 break up between combustion and electrical energy in addition to better vitality administration to play with.

The final time the world championship had such a monumental overhaul was in 2014 when turbo hybrid energy items had been launched, and the opening check had been a battle for all groups as a consequence of an abundance of reliability points – which, in 2026, places Ferrari’s first check day into perspective.

“It may very well be a lot worse on such a giant regulation change,” Hamilton identified. “So to get by way of the day with out too many main – there have been no main points, it is simply small little increments that we’re making an attempt to enhance on. I feel it is nice, and as I mentioned, we simply must attempt to get some extra days like this.”

The seven-time world champion was unable to completely familiarize yourself along with his SF-26’s new aerodynamic and engine instruments on Tuesday because of the rain, however he was nonetheless enthused by the brand new equipment.

“I’ve had the privilege of being right here for a very long time, 19 years, so been by way of various totally different vehicles,” he mentioned, enumerating half a dozen totally different rulesets. “So numerous totally different swapovers, however that is the most important one which I’ve seen.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photograph by: Ferrari

“I do not need to say an excessive amount of about it simply but, as a result of it is tough to know. As I mentioned, I’ve solely pushed it within the rain. I imply, it is lots much less downforce than we had final yr, however we do not have the porpoising that we had final yr, or at the very least in 2022 after we began it. So there’s undoubtedly positives.

“And it is massively difficult for everyone, for each group, which I feel is nice. It actually places everybody on the again foot. I imply, everybody’s actually going to form of be on their toes and studying as you go.

“And whoever develops the quickest, whoever is the neatest in optimising the time and the vitality deployment and improvement would be the ones on the prime. And I feel this provides everybody an opportunity to get to the highest, which is nice. And so we’re simply all arms on deck making an attempt to verify we maximise it.”

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– The Motorsport.com Group