Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated Ferrari debut continued as he took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday, testing Pirelli’s 2026 prototype tyres. The seven-time world champion, who stunned the F1 world with his switch to Ferrari, joined his new team alongside McLaren for the crucial development test.
Ferrari split testing duties between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, each logging 74 laps—adding to the combined 173 laps recorded the previous day. While Leclerc posted the fastest Ferrari time at 1:14.971, Hamilton’s best lap of 1:16.759 remains largely insignificant, as testing times are unreliable due to undisclosed variables such as fuel loads, engine modes, and compound selections dictated by Pirelli.
A First Glimpse at Hamilton in the Ferrari SF-24
Although the test didn’t take place in Ferrari’s 2025 contender, Hamilton still got his first taste of an SF-24, albeit in a modified version designed to simulate 2026’s expected 20% downforce reduction. The altered aero setup allowed Pirelli to gather more precise data on their upcoming tyres in preparation for the new regulations.
McLaren was also present at the Spanish Grand Prix venue, with Oscar Piastri taking over testing duties from Lando Norris in an unbranded ‘mule’ MCL60. The Australian completed an impressive 152 laps, clocking a 1:15.815, which slotted him between Leclerc and Hamilton on the timing sheets.
More Pirelli Testing to Come
Pirelli’s 2026 tyre development program is far from over. Alpine will take center stage at Jerez next week on February 13-14, with McLaren and Mercedes set to contribute on separate days. Meanwhile, Bahrain will play host to further testing on March 2-3, where Alpine and Williams will continue gathering critical data for F1’s future rubber.
With Hamilton settling into his new surroundings and Ferrari continuing to refine its approach, all eyes remain on how this transition will shape the landscape of the 2025 and 2026 F1 seasons.
