Lewis Hamilton debuts the Ferrari SF-24 with the best time at Fiorano
The British driver Lewis Hamilton has experienced a historic day by officially taking the controls of the Ferrari SF-24 for the first time. During the shakedown of preseason at the iconic Fiorano circuit, Hamilton managed to set the fastest lap time of the day, completing a trouble-free session under ideal weather conditions. 🏎️✨
The first real contact on the asphalt
This exercise, beyond the lap times, serves to verify the car's fundamental systems. It represents the moment when the driver begins to familiarize himself with the sensations of the new single-seater and establishes the first operational link with his track engineering team. Scuderia technicians collected initial data crucial on the chassis and engine power.
Key objectives of the session:- Confirm the basic reliability of all SF-24 components.
- Allow Hamilton to adjust essential parameters from the control wheel alongside his new engineers.
- Gather primary information to plan in detail the official tests in Bahrain.
Every kilometer covered in this phase is invaluable data for a driver changing teams after an era. Processing these sensations is the first step.
The framework of winter preparation in F1
The activity at Fiorano marks the starting gun of the countdown to the first Grand Prix. All teams on the grid conduct similar private sessions, with the main purpose of detecting and resolving any potential issues before traveling to the collective tests venue.
Preseason dynamics:- Shakedowns are a mandatory and essential protocol prior to general testing.
- The analysis of the information obtained here defines the work program for Bahrain.
- Finishing the day without mechanical problems is always the most desired outcome.
A significant first step
While achieving the best time in a shakedown does not allow predicting performance during the championship, it does constitute a positive start full of optimism. For Hamilton, this day symbolizes the beginning of a new stage, where every lap serves to absorb details and build from scratch the synergy with the Ferrari team. 🔴