British driver Lewis Hamilton, seven-time Formula 1 champion, suffered a minor accident during the second day of private testing being conducted by Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit. Although Hamilton emerged unscathed from the incident, the team was forced to reassess its planning, as they had scheduled his teammate Charles Leclerc to test the car later.
"Hamilton got out of the car, which was then taken back to the pits, where Ferrari is analyzing the cause of the incident," noted the specialized site Motorsport. The Scuderia is carefully examining the telemetry to determine exactly what caused the accident before allowing Leclerc to drive the single-seater.
The tests in Barcelona are part of a program designed for Hamilton to acclimate to the Ferrari, after his long career with Mercedes. The limit of one thousand kilometers set for each driver during preseason testing is accounted for, so the Brit will have more opportunities to run with the Italian team in Fiorano and in Pirelli tire tests. Fans' attention will be focused on number 44 during the upcoming preseason tests in Bahrain, starting February 26.
As for the accident itself, Hamilton encountered a setback in the third sector of the circuit, crashing into the barriers. Fortunately, rescue services intervened quickly, and the driver emerged unscathed. The car, a Ferrari SF-23, suffered damage to its suspension and aerodynamic parts of the bodywork, so the repair might delay Leclerc's participation in the afternoon testing session.
