Lewis Hamilton Impressed by Ferrari's 2026 Testing Start

Lewis Hamilton reports that his initial running in Ferrari's 2026 car is progressing more smoothly than his preparations did last year, praising the team's reliability and productive mileage during the pre-season shakedown in Barcelona. The seven-time champion completed 87 laps in dry conditions, a stark contrast to a wet and limited first day, allowing for crucial early data collection on the new SF-26.

Why it matters:

With sweeping new technical regulations for 2026, accumulating reliable mileage in testing is more critical than ever. A clean start allows teams to focus on performance development rather than troubleshooting fundamental issues. Hamilton's positive early feedback, compared to a "worse start" in 2025, suggests Ferrari has built a solid foundation with its new package, which is essential for hitting the ground running when the competitive season begins.

The details:

• Hamilton drove the Ferrari SF-26 during the morning session in Barcelona, completing 87 laps (396 km) primarily on medium and hard compound tires.
• His program focused on car mapping work and familiarization with the new power unit and control systems.
• Team Principal Fred Vasseur emphasized that "reliability and learning are the priorities," noting the team successfully followed its planned program and gathered extensive data.
• Ferrari's power unit mileage across its own team and customer squads is currently second only to Mercedes in this test.

What's next:

The team has one final day of running in Barcelona before the official pre-season test in Bahrain in two weeks. Hamilton stated the immediate goal is to continue building mileage and knowledge, with drivers comparing notes to formulate a clear plan for the remaining track time. The data gathered will be pivotal for making concise development decisions ahead of the season opener.