Hamilton felt “better than in the Mercedes” after the tests
The Briton said he had very good sensations behind the wheel of the old single-seaters of the Italian brand. The seven-time world champion praised the behavior of the cars, which he believes is better than in recent years at Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton already comfortable in the Ferrari? That’s at least what the recent statements from the English driver suggest. The Brit participated in Pirelli tests last week to evaluate the Italian manufacturer’s 2026 tires. On the first day, the seven-time world champion was the fastest with a time of 1:15.93, one-tenth ahead of his new teammate Charles Leclerc. Although this time has little significance due to unknowns regarding the fuel load carried by the drivers, it indicates one thing: Hamilton is ready for the 2025 season.
Hamilton comfortable in the Ferrari
After already completing the four days of running permitted by the FIA under the previous car testing program (TPC), the Briton stated, according to the Gazzetta Dello Sport, that he had good sensations and even praised the behavior of the SF-23, a rapid single-seater over one lap but lacking race pace. Some observers even said that he felt better than in recent years at Mercedes, where the Englishman had to deal with a car lacking downforce and grip at the rear.
Settings already made by the Briton
According to the Italian media, the Briton felt so comfortable that he had already started to test certain things and see the limits of his car, which incidentally led to an accident during closed-door tests at the Barcelona circuit. These remarks were reported by driver Vicky Piria, who was trackside. “Although the track was really wet, soaked, and very cold, we saw Lewis testing different things,” the Italian told Sky Italia. “We saw him working a bit with the e-diff, adjusting the brake balance, causing a few lock-ups. He wasn’t just doing installation laps; he was really trying different settings. He wasn’t attacking full on, but he was testing,” she said.
« It’s his way of getting into the rhythm, understanding the steering wheel’s settings and how they work. They learn everything on the simulator, but the real challenge is translating those sensations onto the actual track. It’s a real breakthrough for him, as Australia is coming up quickly. » Unfortunately, the former Mercedes driver will no longer be able to use the old Ferrari single-seaters after already reaching the maximum number of days allowed in a season for the TPC program. The next appointment will be the presentation of the SF-25 at the O2 Arena in London on February 18 at an event bringing together all the other teams to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 championship.
The good year for Ferrari?
The Italian single-seater will then be presented the next day on Ferrari’s test track in Fiorano before truly starting the 2025 season during winter testing from February 26 to 28. If Hamilton is as comfortable with the car as the tests suggest, Ferrari will have an extremely fast driver duo that could lead the Maranello team to its first title since 2008.
