Lewis Hamilton is set to continue his acclimatisation to the Ferrari Formula 1 team at Barcelona over the next 10 days, with five days' worth of testing on the agenda.
First, Ferrari will run a three-day test from 28-30 January with its SF-23 from the 2023 season, making the most of FIA's new, more restrictive sporting regulations regarding 'Testing of Previous Cars' by F1 teams and their race drivers. This amounts to 1,000km per squad and per year over four days at most, inclusive of both racers.
Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc covered a combined 131km in Fiorano on 22 January, as fog and rain curtailed their running, but this was more of a shakedown. The real running was always set to take place at Barcelona, where they will be allowed to run a maximum of 186 laps over the three days (866 km).
The weather forecast is currently mixed with little sunshine, and potential showers on Thursday afternoon. The temperatures will be cool, ranging from 3°C to 13°C, though slightly warmer than the local average for January.
Ferrari will then take part in a Pirelli test at the Barcelona circuit on 4-5 February, testing prototype rubber ahead of the technical regulations' overhaul in 2026 which includes narrower tyres.
The Scuderia will run a modified SF-24, making the machinery as close as possible to the new rules, presumably with reduced downforce. It will be shared again by Leclerc and Hamilton, who will gain even more experience with his new team.
McLaren is conducting a first Pirelli test at Circuit Paul Ricard on 29-30 January – with rain forecast throughout the Thursday running – before joining Ferrari for the Barcelona test.
