Hamilton enjoys another Ferrari outing testing Pirelli 2026 tyres

After his first Barcelona test with Ferrari ended prematurely with a crash, Hamilton enjoyed a more productive day on Wednesday, February 5, testing 2026 Pirelli tyre prototypes in a 2024 Ferrari single-seater, the SF-24, modified to suit the 2026 Pirelli rubber.

The test is part of Pirelli's preparations for the 2026 F1 season that will feature a massive change in F1 regulations covering both chassis and power unit.

Hamilton was on duty for the Maranello squad along with teammate Charles Leclerc as the pair racked up 148 laps.

Oscar Piastri was on duty at the same test for McLaren, driving a modified version of the team's 2023 F1 car, the MCL60. The Australian accumulated 152 laps.

Leclerc finished the day fastest with a lap time of 1:14.971, while Piastri was second fastest with a 1:15.815. Hamilton clocked a best personal time of 1:16.759.

Pirelli made sure to point out that those lap times "have no real significance given the different work programs carried out".

Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola commented on the test; he said: "It was a very useful session, particularly when it came to providing a comparison between the various different constructions for next season, as well as experimenting with some compounds from the harder end of the range.

"The Barcelona circuit is known as one of the most demanding for the tyres in terms of the energy exerted and degradation, therefore the information we have gathered over these two busy days will be very important for the future development of this generation of tyres.

“It’s a really demanding start to the year with four test sessions even before the season begins and I want to thank all the teams that are working with us, because we know how busy they are at the moment," Isola concluded.

Pirelli has another test scheduled at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain from February 13-14. Alpine will take part on both days, while McLaren and Mercedes will run one day each.