Lewis Hamilton runs into early Ferrari issue after Bahrain testing spin
· Yahoo Sports
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton hasn’t had the smoothest start to testing, with early issues appearing as action gets underway in Bahrain.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are set to split time behind the wheel on the opening day of F1 testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
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Following a productive shakedown in Barcelona, Ferrari are now looking to fine-tune their aerodynamic package and new power unit ahead of the season opener in Australia.
Team principal Fred Vasseur will be determined to move past last season’s disappointment.
Nigel Mansell has expressed optimism about Hamilton’s chances for 2026, as the Briton aims for his first podium finish since joining Ferrari.
The opening hours of testing brought a few setbacks for Hamilton, though he wasn’t alone in dealing with issues across the grid.
Hot weather poses early testing challenge for Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton ran into a few early issues during the first day of F1 testing in Bahrain, with the hot weather playing a role in some braking difficulties.
Kemal Sengul, reporting live from the track, noted that: “Hamilton experienced a lock-up and went off the track. Drivers are struggling with braking due to the extremely hot weather.”
“Lewis Hamilton ends up pointing the wrong direction at Turn 1,” ESPN’s Laurence Edmondson said. “He just lost the rear on turning into the corner and spun 180 degrees. No damage [was] done to the car, and he continued on his way.
“A few of the cars have looked a little unstable, and he’s certainly not the first driver to end up beyond track limits.”
The session was far from smooth for drivers across the grid. George Russell locked up at Turn 10 shortly after Hamilton’s incident, while Carlos Sainz was seen having similar trouble at roughly that same spot.
Edmondson later pointed out another issue for Hamilton at Turn 10, saying: “It’s a notoriously tricky corner in Bahrain due to heavy braking combined with needing to get turned in.”
He added: “It looks even tougher in this generation of cars as they work hard to recharge batteries and keep revs high mid-corner to avoid turbo lag on exit.”
Ahead of testing in Bahrain, McLaren boss Andrea Stella voiced concerns over Formula 1’s handling of tyre allocations under new rules designed around increased sustainability targets for 2026.
What Lewis Hamilton was doing behind the scenes with Ferrari before the first day of Bahrain testing
Ferrari are introducing ‘wildcard’ updates to their 2026 car, aiming to improve performance, though this approach may lead to some early setbacks for Hamilton and Leclerc before they dial in the right set-up.
Lap times at this stage aren’t telling much of a story, as fuel loads and engine settings remain unknown.
Despite attending the Super Bowl in California on Sunday, Hamilton was already back in Bahrain by Tuesday, getting back into his preparations.
Sengul shared an update on X: “Hamilton spoke at length with the engineers. After that, he returned to the garage,” offering a glimpse into his routine in the paddock.
Even though he’s not a huge fan of long simulator sessions, Hamilton has been putting in extra time behind the wheel virtually as well.
The early mistakes during his first run are part of adapting to how hard he can push under the new regulations. That learning curve is just part of preseason work.
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