Formula 1’s forced break in April did not mean rest for Lewis Hamilton. The Briton kept an active schedule and participated in tests with Ferrari and Pirelli at the Fiorano circuit, taking advantage of the period without races to accumulate mileage.
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The gap in the calendar arose after the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs due to the war in the Middle East, creating a break of approximately one month after the round in Japan. Formula 1 returns only on the first weekend of May with the Miami GP, which opened up space for private development sessions.
While other teams also took advantage of the period to test, Hamilton went into action this week with Ferrari. The seven-time champion participated in a two-day Pirelli tire test, focused mainly on simulations in wet track conditions.
On the first day of activities, the Briton completed 142 laps at the Italian circuit, accumulating a total of 423 kilometers. The work was carried out on an artificially wet track, allowing the team to evaluate different compounds and configurations in low-grip conditions.
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Hamilton started the program using extreme wet tires and later tested the intermediates. During the session, the best time recorded by the driver on the short layout was 1min01s031, a result obtained during the development work.
The activity is part of a series of tests planned during the Formula 1 break. Before that, Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls also conducted a two-day tire test at the Suzuka circuit, taking advantage of the gap in the calendar.
Hamilton’s program with Ferrari continues this Friday, with new activities planned in Fiorano. As on the first day, the focus will remain on wet track evaluations, in partnership with Pirelli, with the aim of collecting important data for the next stages of the season, in addition to a ‘filming day’ that will be held by the Scuderia later this month, and which will also feature the participation of the experienced British driver.
