Lewis Hamilton completed 85 laps in Ferrari's SF-26 during Thursday morning's dry running at the Barcelona pre-season shakedown, calling the mileage 'amazing' after a wet start earlier in the week. The session marked his first substantial track time in dry conditions with the 2026 car, focusing on tyre understanding and reliability. Hamilton expressed optimism compared to last year's testing woes amid the new regulations.
Ferrari's pre-season testing for the 2026 Formula 1 season began with challenges, as rain hampered the team's initial efforts on Tuesday, 28 January, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc managed limited running in wet conditions, following the SF-26's brief 15km shakedown at Fiorano earlier. The overall test spans 26-30 January, with Ferrari opting for sessions on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday behind closed doors due to the upcoming technical overhaul. Thursday, 30 January, provided Hamilton with his first representative dry-track mileage, a welcome relief from the 'miserable wet weather' of prior days. According to unofficial timing from SoyMotor, the seven-time world champion logged 87 laps, though he referenced 85 in post-session comments. The team tested Pirelli's C1 and C2 compounds in cool temperatures, which Hamilton noted were 'so cold that the tyres aren't really working all that well.' Despite grip challenges leading to a harmless spin, the programme was completed successfully, yielding insights into the car's performance and areas for improvement. 'It was great to be able to get some running and understand the tyres... got through our programme, and a bit of an understanding of where the car is at,' Hamilton said. He credited the factory team's efforts for the car's reliability so far, adding, 'Today I did 85 laps in the morning, which is amazing.' Compared to last year's troubled start, Hamilton was tentative but hopeful: 'Considering it's a completely new band of rules, it's better than we've experienced in the past.' In the afternoon, Leclerc took over the SF-26, with Hamilton observing from the pitwall. The duo plans to collaborate on debriefs to refine Friday's agenda, emphasizing mileage on the engine and aerodynamics ahead of Bahrain tests. Hamilton finished 1.573 seconds behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, the morning's quickest driver, signaling steady progress for Ferrari.
