Bahrain test, day 2: Ferrari shows linear handling with Lewis Hamilton
Today at 11:45 AM
Ferrari has prepared well for the second day of Formula 1 testing. Today’s work schedule should not differ much from yesterday’s. Lewis Hamilton is again behind the wheel of the SF-25 in the morning session, keeping in mind, unfortunately, that weather conditions are not ideal. The track surface is below 15 degrees, wind is at 5.7 kilometers per hour, and there is a chance of rain that could threaten the session. It will be interesting to understand what kind of setup Lewis Hamilton will use, whether he will continue with aggressive tests or, like his teammate, take the track with a targeted setup.
After a couple of more intense laps, Lewis Hamilton immediately started a race pace simulation. The number 44 car was again fitted with the yellow-banded Pirelli C3 tires. From the first images, it appeared that the instability that characterized the runs yesterday morning was not present. And indeed, shortly after, following the work to remove the aerodynamic shovels on the front wing, confirmation arrived. The British driver’s car is nothing like yesterday’s.
At the end of the run, where he completed several laps in race configuration, the Briton tried two push laps. Although the car still bounces a bit too much (the car is still very low), the Ferrari SF-25’s behavior is very good. The driving is very linear, smooth, and without any hesitation. Lewis Hamilton easily finds the apex point at turn 13, a situation that was not possible yesterday. The handling in the first three corners is excellent, with a more aggressive pedal stance, similar to Charles Leclerc‘s in the afternoon.
The traction phases are still good, especially at turn 10, where the English driver is able to put all the power from the 066/15 Power Unit to the ground without errors. The interesting aspect concerns turn 13, where, compared to the problematic behavior of yesterday, no axis is dominant, showing a neutral balance. Afterwards, the English driver conducts constant-speed tests: 200 kilometers per hour for comparison with the wind tunnel.
In his fastest lap, with the DRS system open, the maximum speed reached 315 kilometers per hour. This data seems consistent with yesterday’s figures and those from the 2024 F1 testing campaign. In addition, there is an interesting observation to consider. Watching several on-board shots, it's noticeable that the Modena car is quite stiff at the front end. This is not necessarily a negative aspect, considering the precision of this axle, which allowed Lewis Hamilton to “paint” the cornering trajectories very well.
Understeer problems seem to have been minimized, fortunately. This was information that needed to be confirmed after the rain break. Yes, because in Bahrain, unfortunately, the weather conditions are not ideal. Fortunately, the rain wasn't heavy, and after about an hour of pause, action resumed on track. Ferrari again put the British driver in the car with C3 tires, a compound that has already seen 28 laps completed yesterday. After a few laps, Lewis made a quick stop in the pit lane where the tires were changed: still C3.
The car continues to show the same clean and orderly attitude. With the same power unit settings, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion completed a couple of push laps where the handling was quite mild. Essentially, the attitude observed before the rain break was fully confirmed. However, it is interesting to note that, compared to the previous run, there was greater ease in the acceleration phases, with the seven-time world champion pressing the throttle earlier, showing more aggression. During the pit stop, the mechanics worked again on the setup.
This time, it was a tweak to the front wing, adding a small adjustment to the suspension stiffness. Once again, this adjustment showed results on track, confirming that the SF-25, for now, seems to be a car that responds well to the mechanics’ adjustments based on driver feedback. The British driver's work continues, and in parallel, the drivability of the Italian car improves. It remains to be understood what type of adjustment was made to the front end. Lewis' last lap was almost perfect, despite the Ferrari not being able to hit the apex and attack the curb like the McLaren.
It's positive to note that the car is very composed and does not show any rear-end instability. This was not at all expected after the issues faced yesterday morning. Lewis Hamilton' time is coming to an end. In the afternoon, Charles Leclerc will take over the wheel. According to various reports from the Italian media, the Monegasque will focus more on high-fuel tests, as the environmental conditions are getting closer to those of a real Grand Prix. Lastly, one key fact: Lewis Hamilton's satisfaction was noted after yesterday's troubles.
— see video above —
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