Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton completed his first laps of the 2026 F1 Barcelona Shakedown, running in wet weather conditions. He completed 19 laps before having to pit when the rain got heavier causing a red flag. Hamilton returned to the track once the weather improved, running 28 laps on Full Wet tyres. As the rain eased, he switched back to the Intermediate tyres, completing a total of 57 laps. Combined with teammate Charles Leclerc, Ferrari managed to complete a total of 121 laps.
In an interview with Formula 1, Hamilton spoke about the SF-26’s performance during his first day of testing.
Hamilton on wet weather conditions
While teammate Leclerc got the chance to test his new Ferrari in dry weather, Hamilton’s session comprised entirely of wet weather running during the 2026 Barcelona Shakedown. The British driver got the chance to test out the car on both Intermediate and Wet Weather tyres.
“Very challenging today, obviously, because it started raining at 10-10:30. Obviously Charles [Leclerc] had a little bit of dry running but then it’s been wet all afternoon, so figuring out how to get the tyres working. It was really productive.
“I think we got about 120 laps or something like that. Given it’s in the wet conditions and we had a red flag and that, I think that’s pretty solid. So really proud of everyone back at the factory for getting the car to this point. And we’ve got a lot of information on the car today. Definitely need to keep it up, lots and lots to do, but a good first day.”
Hamilton spoke positively on the number of laps the team completed during their first day of the 2026 Barcelona Shakedown. He expressed confidence in his performance, citing no major issues with the car.
“I mean, it could be so much worse. It’s such a big regulation change, so to get through the day without too many major … there were no major issues, it’s just small little increments that we’re trying to improve on. I think it’s great. As I said, we just need to try and get some more days like this.”
Hamilton’s focus for remainder of 2026 F1 Barcelona Shakedown
The British driver expressed his desire to experience dry weather running with the new SF-26. He also emphasised the importance of gaining experience with the new deployment system.
F1 cars feature new hybrid power units in 2026. These new units will deliver a significant increase in battery power and a balanced split between internal combustion and electrical energy.
“Well, hoping to experience the car in the dry. I think just understanding balance, understanding the new [SM?] that we have and how to utilise it, how you can feel it. I have not driven it in the dry, so I don’t really have a feeling for it. Obviously we drove it in the wet, which is only the front part.
“And then just understanding the deployment. I think deployment’s going to be crucial, and understanding how to utilise the power, the battery throughout the lap, and recharging, all that kind of stuff.
“But I mean, we’ve done a huge amount of work — everyone’s done a huge amount of work on the simulator — so it’s not like it’s 100% brand new for us. But we still have to go through our sessions and through the data to try and optimise it.”
