Hamilton crashes Ferrari during Barcelona test

Hamilton, who had a first test run with his new team at Ferrari's Fiorano track last week and is still adapting to his new surroundings after leaving Mercedes, was unhurt in the incident.

The 40-year-old seven-times F1 world champion is getting in some laps behind closed doors with teammate Charles Leclerc under rules that allow a limited amount of track mileage in older F1 cars.

Italian it.motorsport.com website reported Hamilton went into the barriers at the end of the lap, damaging the suspension and bodywork. Sources at the track said the driver was “absolutely okay” following the crash.

Ferrari's testing programme in Spain was disrupted, leading to the cancellation of Leclerc’s planned afternoon session. The team has opted to keep its original schedule unchanged, meaning Antonio Giovinazzi and Dino Beganovic will run on Thursday.

Both Hamilton and Leclerc subsequently left the circuit. While the incident affected part of Ferrari’s planned mileage, the team will have opportunities to recover the lost running later.

Unless Ferrari revises its plans, Antonio Giovinazzi is set to take the wheel on Thursday, given his role as a reserve driver during race weekends. He will be joined by Dino Beganovic, who will make his debut in an F1 car. The 21-year-old Swede, a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, has accumulated sufficient super licence points over the 2022-24 period.

To complete the FIA’s requirements, he must cover at least 65 laps of the Barcelona circuit—equivalent to the 300 km minimum mandated by the sporting regulations. Meeting this threshold would make him eligible for potential FP1 outings during the season, with Ferrari required to field a rookie in at least two of its four mandated young driver sessions.

The Scuderia have been conducting a three-day test in Spain with their 2023 Formula 1 car, the most recent model permitted under FIA regulations for private testing. The session serves as preparation ahead of the sport's official pre-season test in Bahrain later this month.

Hamilton, who completed his first on-track outing with Ferrari last week, was back behind the wheel on Wednesday. However, plans for Leclerc to take over in the afternoon have reportedly been delayed due to damage sustained to the car during the session.

The former Mercedes driver recently described his maiden Ferrari test as "one of the best feelings of his life," as he continues his transition from Mercedes to the Italian team for the 2025 season.

Ferrari's test programme in Spain is focused on allowing their drivers to acclimatise ahead of the new campaign, with the Bahrain test marking the first official opportunity to run their 2025 challenger under F1 regulations.