Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver runs team's 2024 F1 car at Pirelli test as 2025 preparations continue

Lewis Hamilton has driven Ferrari's 2024 car for the first time after returning to the Barcelona track for the latest run in one of his new team's challengers ahead of 2025 pre-season testing later this month.

Hamilton, on track for the first time since a crash at the same circuit last week on his third day of running in Ferrari's 2023 car, has again shared driving duties with new team-mate Charles Leclerc but this time in a modified version of the Scuderia's most recent car, the SF-24 - which won five races last year - during two days of 2026 Pirelli tyre testing.

The Ferrari pair were joined at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Tuesday by McLaren's Lando Norris, who was driving a mule version of the constructors' champions' 2023 car. Oscar Piastri took over the McLaren on Wednesday, with Hamilton and Leclerc again splitting their running.

• Lewis Hamilton crashes during Ferrari testing in Barcelona
• All the key race and testing dates for Formula 1 in 2025 ?
• Everything you need to know about F1 2025 | Latest car launch date schedule ?
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW ?

The two-day test is controlled by Pirelli, who decide upon the run plans for the teams and drivers to help the Italian manufacturer with their development for the 2026 season when F1's tyres are being made narrower as part of the wholesale package of changes to the chassis and engine regulations.

On a dry opening day in Spain, Hamilton, Leclerc and Norris tested prototype slick compounds of various constructions and harder compounds around the high-speed Spanish track.

The exact nature of the drivers' runs and compounds used are not revealed, while the old cars being use have been modified from how they would have been run originally to simulate the expected lower 2026 downforce levels.

Pirelli reported that Norris set the fastest time of Tuesday on a 1:15.215 after 159 laps, with Hamilton clocking a 1:15.930 after 87 laps and Leclerc a best time of 1:16.060 (86 laps).

For Wednesday's second day, Leclerc and Hamilton were due to drive in the morning and afternoon respectively, with Piastri getting the full day in the MCL60.

The Pirelli test continues the countdown to F1's 2025 launch season and pre-season testing later in February.

However, the nature of the new car unveilings for this year is set to be different owing to the all-team F1 75 season launch event taking place at The O2 on February 18 when the whole grid will show off their driver pairings and latest liveries.

Most teams are set to therefore set to simply release images of their 2025 cars online either side of the O2 event, with Williams currently scheduled to be the first on February 14, albeit with the FW47 cloaked in a special one-off livery.

Ferrari are however due to hold a launch for their new SF-25 on February 19.

Pre-season testing with the new 2025 challengers takes place in Bahrain on February 26-28, live on Sky Sports F1.

Zhou joins Ferrari as reserve driver

Ferrari, meanwhile, have confirmed a second new arrival in their ranks for 2025 after signing Zhou Guanyu as a reserve driver.

Zhou was left without a seat on the F1 grid for this year after being dropped by Ferrari-engine Sauber at the end of last season.

The 25-year-old, China's first F1 race driver, was previously a young driver on Ferrari's academy books in 2015-2018.

He will share reserve duties with Antonio Giovinazzi, who continues in a role he has held since 2017 either side of the Italian's own race stint at Sauber.

Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - No contract, cancel anytime

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver runs team's 2024 F1 car at Pirelli test as 2025 preparations continue