Lewis Hamilton is set to continue his acclimatisation to the Ferrari Formula 1 team at Barcelona over the next 10 days, with five days’ worth of testing on the agenda for the Scuderia.
First, Ferrari will run a three-day test from 28-30 January with the SF-23 from the 2023 season, making the most of FIA’s new, more restrictive sporting regulations regarding ‘Testing of Previous Cars’ by F1 teams and their race drivers – 1000km per squad and per year over four days at most, inclusive of both racers.
Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc covered a combined 131km in Fiorano on 22 January as the fog and rain curtailed their running, but this was more of a shakedown and the real running was always set to take place at Barcelona, where they will be allowed to run a maximum of 186 laps over the three days (866 km).
The current weather forecast by Meteo-France is currently mixed with little sunshine, and potential showers on Thursday afternoon. The temperatures will be cool, ranging from 3°C (37°F) to 13°C (55°F), though slightly warmer than the local average for January.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari at Fiorano
Photo by: Ferrari
Ferrari will then take part in a Pirelli test at the Barcelona circuit on 4-5 February, testing prototype rubber ahead of the technical regulations’ overhaul in 2026 which includes narrower tyres.
The Scuderia will run a modified SF-24, making the machinery as close as possible to the new rules, presumably with reduced downforce; it will be shared, again, by Leclerc and Hamilton, who will gain even more experience with his new team.
McLaren is conducting a first Pirelli test at Circuit Paul Ricard on 29-30 January – with rain forecast throughout the Thursday running – before joining Ferrari for the Barcelona test.
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