Hamilton continues Ferrari testing in Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton continued his preparations for the Formula One season this week by testing for his new Ferrari team at the Circuit de Catalunya. The seven-time champion and his teammate Charles Leclerc drove a 2023 F1 car at the home of the Spanish Grand Prix on Tuesday.

Following an initial acclimatization test at Ferrari's Fiorano test track last week, Hamilton is building his experience of working with Ferrari. The team is doing everything it can to ensure Hamilton is as prepared as possible for the new season after his 12 years with Mercedes.

Hamilton is learning Ferrari's procedures and establishing working methods with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, with both driver and team learning how best to work together. The 40-year-old drove in the afternoon, taking over from Leclerc who drove in the morning.

No further details were released about the closed test. Ferrari is expected to conduct three days of testing in Spain, although there are limits to the number of laps drivers can complete. Current drivers are permitted a total of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of testing per year using cars from previous seasons. Under F1 testing restrictions, the 2023 car is the most recent that can be used.

The 2025 Ferrari car will be unveiled on February 19, when Hamilton and Leclerc will have a brief shakedown at Fiorano. They will then head to Bahrain for official pre-season testing from February 26-28. In addition, Hamilton must also familiarize himself with Ferrari's engine operating procedures, having previously only driven Mercedes power units in Formula One.

Modern F1 engines are 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged hybrid systems, featuring complex energy recovery systems and intricate control procedures, many of which are operated by the driver in the cockpit. While the various power and performance modes of the various engines are designed to perform similar functions, each manufacturer has different software and operating procedures that drivers need time to familiarize themselves with.