Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona test with SF-23: work on overboost before crash
Today at 07:25 AM
Ferrari ran with Lewis Hamilton yesterday morning at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, following a program largely similar to what was started on Tuesday afternoon. Still driving the SF-23 single-seater, the Brit continued his personal learning curve with the Prancing Horse. A lot of work focused on handling, supported by prior experience in the Maranello simulator. The car’s setup was adjusted multiple times—an interesting approach to understanding the car's limits and testing the driver’s response to various modifications.
An evaluation of the hybrid system's overboost management was also conducted. As we know, Ferrari uses a special mapping called K2, typically activated at race starts or after a restart following a double yellow flag with the Safety Car on track. This mode allows the Maranello team to manage how the energy recovered from the motor-generators is distributed alongside the internal combustion engine's power. This procedure is not standardized, as it is adjusted based on the track layout where the car is competing.
Generally, this extra energy is used for about a quarter of a lap before switching back to the standard race mode. Lewis Hamilton familiarized himself with this crucial aspect, where the driver plays a significant role in choosing the energy deployment percentage. This is usually practiced in the first free practice sessions of a race weekend. The same applies to K1 and K1 Plus modes, where the driver's input is key in providing feedback to the pit wall and validating or adjusting preselected setups tested in the simulator.
Towards the end of what seemed to be his final stint of the day, Lewis Hamilton had his first crash while driving the Ferrari. Fortunately, according to the stewards, it was a minor incident. Based on information gathered and reported by the Italian media, car number 44 lost rear grip in the third sector of the Catalan circuit. The Briton tried to regain control but was unable to avoid contact. While not severe, the impact still caused some damage to the Italian car—nothing irreparable, fortunately.
Lewis Hamilton is fine, with no consequences from the incident. He was reportedly quite disappointed for two reasons. First, he had to cut his test short. Second, the British driver felt bad for his teammate, as the two Ferrari drivers are sharing the only available car in Barcelona. However, Ferrari mechanics are already working to restore the car and adjust it for Charles Leclerc, changing the seat, pedal measurements, and part of the setup.
Despite the delay in the schedule, Charles Leclerc should still be able to complete his test program next week at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. Today, however, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are not driving the Ferrari. Instead, Italian Antonio Giovinazzi and Swedish academy driver Dino Beganovic are expected to take the wheel. The Italian team has chosen to save the final test day for their main drivers, intending to use it later under different conditions, confident they have gathered sufficient data.
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