Ferrari’s Formula 1 Testing Cut Short Due to Lewis Hamilton’s Crash

By Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Driver, Barcelona
The second day of testing for Ferrari’s Formula 1 team in Barcelona has been cut short due to a crash involving Lewis Hamilton. The early morning incident brought an end to the team’s plans for the day, leaving many wondering what could have been.
**A Bittersweet Day on the Track**
It was supposed to be a productive day for the Scuderia, with both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc set to take to the track in the SF-23. The new regulations surrounding ‘Testing of Previous Cars’ were being put to the test, with each team entitled to a yearly allowance of 1000km over four days, inclusive of both race drivers. Ferrari had covered 131km in Fiorano last week and was looking to make the most of its time in Barcelona.
However, disaster struck at Turn 12 around 11am on Wednesday, when Hamilton’s car suffered substantial damage from a shunt. The front end of the car was badly damaged, including the suspension and bodywork. Leclerc was set to take over in the afternoon, but hopes for a swift repair process were dashed due to poor visibility.
**A Delicate Repair Process**
The rebuilding of the car was delayed due to low visibility at the circuit, making it difficult for the team to assess the extent of the damage. As a result, Hamilton and Leclerc both left Barcelona, with their schedule unchanged for Ferrari’s last day of testing this week.
However, Ferrari has an opportunity to extend its stay in Barcelona by using its main reserve driver, **Antonio Giovinazzi**, and protege, **Dino Beganovic**, who will share the SF-23 on track on Thursday.
**A Promising Future for Dino Beganovic**
Beganovic is a 20-year-old Prema driver and member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2020. He won the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2022 and took sixth in the last two Formula 3 campaigns. Now, he just needs to cover 300km at the wheel of an F1 car to be awarded an FIA superlicence.
He is expected to take part in Free Practice 1 sessions for Ferrari this year, fulfilling the sporting regulations mandating that teams use rookies on four occurrences – two per car – over the season.
**A Glimmer of Hope**
Despite the early setback, Ferrari still has a chance to make the most of its time in Barcelona. The team could make the most of the Pirelli test planned on 4-5 February, which **McLaren** will also partake in, to extend its stay at the circuit and complete its fourth testing day.
As for Hamilton and Leclerc, Ferrari can presumably run them with the SF-23 for one more day in 2025 according to the TPC regulations. This gives the team hope that they can still make a positive impact on their season next year.
The future is bright for Dino Beganovic, but it will be interesting to see how Ferrari decides to use its young driver over the course of the season.