Hamilton praises Ferrari's 'solid' SF-26 after topping Barcelona test

Lewis Hamilton has lauded Ferrari's winter development effort, calling the SF-26 a "solid" package after topping the timesheets and completing over 200 laps without major issues during the pre-season test in Barcelona.

Why it matters:

A reliable and fast start in testing is a critical morale boost for Ferrari, a team that has faced recent struggles with in-season development and race-day execution. For Hamilton, a seamless integration with his new team and car builds essential early confidence as he embarks on his high-profile move from Mercedes.

The details:

• Hamilton set the fastest overall time of the test with a 1m 16.348s during the final hour of running on Friday.
• The seven-time champion completed 204 laps over his running days, emphasizing the car's reliability by noting the absence of "major issues."
• He highlighted the value of driving in wet conditions on Tuesday, calling it a "valuable experience" for understanding the new car's behavior.
• Hamilton described the week as "really productive and enjoyable," praising the "huge amount of work" from the team over the winter.

What's next:

All data from Barcelona will be analyzed ahead of the final pre-season tests in Bahrain next month. While the times are encouraging, true competitive order will only be revealed at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Hamilton stated the team remains "focused" on learning and preparing for the next phase of testing.