Ferrari fine-tunes Hamilton and Leclerc’s chemistry in Barcelona

Ferrari’s second day of TPC (Test Previous Car) sessions is well underway at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton continue their pre-season preparations with a split schedule. Leclerc took the wheel in the morning session on Tuesday, 28 January, with Hamilton following in the afternoon. Given that the testing is taking place behind closed doors, details remain scarce, but a clear division of focus is emerging between the two drivers.

Hamilton

Leclerc, now entering his seventh season with Ferrari, is already familiar with the SF-23 being used for these sessions—the same car he raced two years ago. As a result, his workload is likely centred around fine-tuning his approach and gathering broader performance data.

For Sir Lewis Hamilton, however, these sessions are crucial for adapting to Ferrari’s systems and procedures, as well as developing synergy with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami. Early feedback suggests that Hamilton’s driving style and setup preferences differ significantly from Leclerc’s, meaning Ferrari’s engineers must adapt accordingly.

These private sessions also serve as a precursor to next week’s official Pirelli tyre tests at the same venue, scheduled for Tuesday, 4 February, and Thursday, 5 February. These will mark an important milestone in Ferrari’s preparation for the upcoming season, with both Leclerc and Hamilton set to drive the newly launched SF-24 for the first time.

Adding further intrigue, McLaren—Ferrari’s main rival in last year’s Constructors’ Championship battle—will also be on track for the Pirelli tests, allowing for early comparisons between the two teams.

As Ferrari’s private test concludes on Thursday, 30 January, the two race drivers may step aside, giving way to test and reserve drivers, with Antonio Giovinazzi tipped to take over running duties.

The road to the 2025 Formula 1 season is gathering momentum, and Ferrari’s private sessions in Barcelona could prove crucial in shaping their early-season form.

Hamilton
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