The crash took place at turn 12, where Hamilton lost control of the car, sending it into the barriers. The impact caused extensive damage to the car’s suspension and aerodynamic components. After the crash, Hamilton was able to exit the car unscathed before it was recovered and taken to the pit lane for repairs. The team immediately began working on the necessary repairs, but the damage proved to be too severe to complete the work in time for Leclerc’s scheduled afternoon session. As a result, Charles Leclerc was unable to complete any laps on the day.
Repairs continued throughout the afternoon and into the evening, lasting until sunset. By then, Leclerc had already left the venue without having driven the car. This incident marked another setback in Leclerc’s pre-season preparations, as he had also experienced an incomplete practice earlier in the month. On January 22nd, during testing at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit, Leclerc’s session was cut short due to adverse weather conditions. He completed only 14 laps in total, whereas Hamilton managed 30 laps on his first day of testing.
Despite the challenges, Ferrari has chosen not to adjust their testing schedule, and the team is sticking to their plan as the season approaches. Leclerc has not publicly commented on the disruption to his pre-season testing, though it’s clear that these interruptions have been less than ideal for the Monegasque driver. With the season just around the corner, the pressure is on to make up for lost time and ensure everything is ready for the first race of the year.
As for Hamilton, the crash is seen as a normal part of the learning process, and both he and the team are focused on using the incident as an opportunity to better understand the car’s behavior and adjust their setup moving forward. With pre-season testing now behind them, both drivers will be eager to get back on track and prepare for the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
