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Hamilton set for another Ferrari run: Advantage over Verstappen?
- Ludo van Denderen
Hamilton's start at Ferrari got off to a busy start. The seven-time world champion is set for his third test day (and he did a run at Fiorano after his presentation), meanwhile, for example, Max Verstappen is yet to sit in a Red Bull car this year - or at least it was a secret one. Does having so many days under his belt give the Briton the advantage over his rivals?
After an introduction run in Italy and then a two-day run in Barcelona (where Hamilton crashed and damaged his Ferrari on Wednesday morning) with two older F1 cars, a test for Pirelli is scheduled for the Briton this week. Once again, he will return to track near Montmelo.
For the tyre manufacturer, Hamilton, his teammate Charles Leclerc and the two regular McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will test tyres for the 2026 season. They are doing so with an older F1 car, which has been modified. This is necessary because front tyres will be 25 millimetres, and the rear tyres will be 30 millimetres narrower in the 2026 season. The two McLaren drivers already did a Pirelli test last week in France, testing the rain tyres.
Verstappen yet to complete first metres in 2025
Either way, Hamilton can once again put in the necessary mileage, while Max Verstappen is still waiting for his first test kilometres in 2025. That may give Hamilton an advantage, but it should certainly not be exaggerated. Yes, Hamilton could already find more rhythm compared to Verstappen. But the new Ferrari driver has driven cars do not resemble the Ferrari he will compete with next season.
However, Hamilton has undoubtedly ensured that he now knows the processes within Ferrari, knows who is working on what and now understands better howthe Italians operate. These are all things Max Verstappen no longer has to do. The Dutchman knows Red Bull Racing inside out, and must be looking forward especially to what the 2025 car will bring.
On the day before the first and only F1 test in Bahrain, Verstappen will get the chance to complete a shakedown of the car he will start the season with in Australia. That is a few days after Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton did exactly the same. But like Red Bull, Ferrari will 'only' be allowed to drive two hundred kilometres during a shakedown.
Did Hamilton have a head start to the season? That would be the case, instead, he managed to catch up on things that for drivers established within their teams, like Verstappen, is already well within their knowledge.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi
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