Lewis Hamilton crashes Ferrari at pre-season test in Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton has crashed his Ferrari during the team’s pre-season testing programme in Spain.

The seven-time champion was unhurt after losing control of the team’s 2023 car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday.

Ferrari declined to comment on the incident, which happened on Hamilton’s second day of running at the Spanish track, where he is sharing the car with team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The incident happened as Ferrari seek to embed Hamilton into the team as effectively as possible before the start of the season at the Australian Grand Prix on 14-16 March.

Ferrari regard the crash as nothing abnormal as Hamilton learns the characteristics of an unfamiliar car after 12 years with Mercedes, within the significant restrictions imposed on testing in F1.

Ferrari are running a limited programme in the 2023 car, the most recent model Hamilton is allowed to drive.

F1’s testing restrictions dictate that current race drivers can complete a maximum of 1,000km (621 miles) of what is known as TPC (testing of previous cars) running.

Hamilton completed 30 laps at the team’s Fiorano test track on 22 January before he and Leclerc moved on to this week’s three days of running at Barcelona, home of the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ferrari are giving no details of the test, where Hamilton is learning Ferrari’s procedures and working methods and building an understanding with race engineer Riccardo Adami and the rest of the engineering group.

Ferrari will launch their 2025 car at Fiorano on 19 February, the day after F1’s season launch event at the O2 in London.

Ferrari will give Hamilton further testing miles before the launch in a Pirelli-run tyre test.

The team will run for two days next week, also at Barcelona, on 4-5 February in a 2025 car modified to reflect the effect of the new regulations being introduced for 2026.

McLaren are conducting a similar Pirelli test at Paul Ricard in France this week as the Italian company seeks to define its 2026 product.