Hamilton back in action as Ferrari and McLaren undertake Pirelli F1 test

Lewis Hamilton was again on monitor with Ferrari for the Pirelli Components 1 tyre check that has been going down this week at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the primary day topped by Lando Norris.

As the brand new technical rules for 2026 make F1 vehicles smaller and lighter, the tyres can even be narrower – by 25mm on the entrance and 30mm on the rear – and have a barely smaller diameter, although wheel dimension just isn’t altering.

As a consequence, Pirelli has been testing prototypes forward of subsequent 12 months, with a two-day check accomplished with McLaren at Circuit Paul Ricard final week for moist and intermediate tyres, whereas additional two-day working is underneath manner in Spain.

Ferrari drivers Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been sharing an SF-24, whereas Norris was driving the MCL60 from the 2023 season, with each vehicles that includes technical variations making them nearer to the 2026 technical necessities.

“This time the programme centred round growth of the slicks,” a press launch from Pirelli acknowledged.

“Particularly being examined had been varied combos of building and compound, the latter from the toughest finish of the vary, from the C1 to the C3, as they’re properly suited to the Spanish monitor which is especially demanding on tyres.”

The three drivers accomplished no fewer than 332 laps general on Tuesday, which quantities to 1,546km of knowledge for Pirelli’s engineers, with Norris racking up 159 laps whereas Leclerc and Hamilton lined 86 and 87 respectively.

This was the first time the seven-time world champion was back on track after his crash on the same track last week, which was detrimental to Ferrari’s and Leclerc’s mileage.

Norris was quickest on Tuesday, setting a 1m15.215s as his quickest lap time, adopted by Hamilton in 1m15.930s and Leclerc in 1m16.060s – although there clearly aren’t any conclusions to attract from the pecking order with older vehicles in tyre testing.

Oscar Piastri is taking up on the wheel of the McLaren automobile on Wednesday, with Leclerc driving the Ferrari within the morning earlier than handing it to Hamilton.