Lewis Hamilton returns to Barcelona for Ferrari tyre test after crash

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Lewis Hamilton has made a notable return to Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, taking part in a Pirelli tyre test for Ferrari. This follows his high-profile move to the iconic team, which has been a major talking point during the off-season.

The seven-time world champion was back on track after a crash last week when he and new teammate Charles Leclerc were testing Ferrari's 2023 car during a private three-day session. Fortunately, Hamilton escaped injury from the incident.

This week's testing, managed by F1 tyre supplier Pirelli, aims to evaluate the tyres set to debut with the new cars in 2026. Hamilton and Leclerc are sharing testing duties, alternating sessions around lunchtime on February 4 and 5. They are driving a modified version of Ferrari's 2024 car, which was nearly triumphant in last season's constructors' championship, adapted to fit the smaller, upcoming tyres.

McLaren, the reigning constructors' champions, are also present at the circuit for the same tyre testing.

Hamilton initiated Ferrari's testing schedule on Tuesday, marking a busy off-season for the legend. Previously, he had a short filming day at the Fiorano test circuit in January before the exhaustive Barcelona test, adhering to the 1000km 'Testing of a Previous Car' rule.

Anticipation builds as Hamilton gears up for his first run in Ferrari’s 2025 car on February 19 during its official launch at the Fiorano race track in Italy. Following the reveal, both Hamilton and Leclerc will participate in pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 26 to 28.

The season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix on March 18, where fans eagerly await to see Hamilton in Ferrari's signature red, hoping to make a significant impact.

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