Lewis Hamilton crash triggers extra Ferrari action for Leclerc
Charles Leclerc tests the SF-23
Ferrari have taken advantage of their Pirelli tyre test in Spain to make up ‘time lost’ for Charles Leclerc after Lewis Hamilton’s crash at the same circuit last week.
According to reports in the Italian media, while Hamilton laid down the laps in the mule Ferrari SF-24, Leclerc was back behind the wheel of the SF-23 as he completed his pre-season TPC programme.
Ferrari are making up ‘lost time’ for Charles Leclerc
Ahead of the F1 2025 championship, Hamilton’s first season in red, the Scuderia have been putting the team-mates through a Testing Previous Car [TPC] programme, using a 2023 SF-23.
After a brief wake-up run at Ferrari’s private test track, Fiorano, the new pairing headed to Barcelona for a three-day outing with Leclerc and Hamilton alternating the driving duties on the first two days.
Leclerc was in action on the Tuesday morning before handing the 2023 car over to Hamilton as the former Mercedes driver continued to familiarise himself with Ferrari machinery.
The running order was reversed on Wednesday only to come to a premature halt when Hamilton crashed heavily at Turn 12 around 11am. According to reports, he lost control after hitting a bump and slammed in the barriers.
Although Sky F1’s Craig Slater said he’d heard from Ferrari that the driver was “absolutely fine”, the car was not with the bodywork and suspension damaged.
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Ferrari were able to do the necessary repairs in preparation for Day Three, but that was a day for reserve drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and junior driver Dino Beganovic.
It meant Leclerc’s pre-season programme was cut short.
However, back at the Circuit de Catalunya this week for a Pirelli tyre test, autoracer.it is reporting that Ferrari have also made an SF-23 available for Leclerc to make up for last week’s unfinished TPC.
Reporting that Ferrari arrived at the Spanish circuit with two cars, the SF-23 and a mule version of the SF-24, the publication claims Ferrari ‘did not want to deprive Charles Leclerc of a training session to further stretch his bones, after he had already partly missed the Fiorano session due to the less than idyllic weather.
‘So the engineers have prepared the SF-23 again for a TPC test session that will give the Monegasque the opportunity to take to the track at Montmelò and make up for the time lost last week.’
With two cars available, the test could also see Hamilton extend his TPC running as it would be a ‘useful’ outing.
Hamilton, meanwhile, was in action in Ferrari’s SF-24 as he conducted tyre testing for Pirelli. The 2024 car was modified to simulate the downforce and performance levels expected of the 2026 cars, which will use smaller front and rear tyres.
The front tyre width for 2026 will be narrowed by 25mm and the rear by 30mm and also smaller in diameter, going from the current 720mm to 705-710mm.
The rule surrounding the mule cars states: “Cars must include and are limited to the minimal modifications necessary for the purpose of testing development tyres or for testing components or systems on behalf of the FIA for future championship seasons, as determined by the FIA.
“No test parts, test software or component changes will be permitted which give any sort of information to the competitor that is unrelated to the mule car test unless specifically requested by the FIA.”
As such while Hamilton will be learning more about Ferrari’s process over the two days, this week’s revised car has about 20 per cent less downforce than the car he’ll drive this season, the SF-25.
Ferrari will spend a second day at the circuit on Wednesday along with McLaren.
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