Lando Norris leads Ferrari duo in Pirelli test: Hamilton beats Leclerc during early 2025 preparations that are underway; Norris outpaces Ferrari rivals – The 2025 Formula One season may still be a few weeks away from its official start, but on-track action is already underway. This week several teams took part in a Pirelli tyre test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with big names such as Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris behind the wheel.

The test sessions provided an early glimpse of driver performance ahead of the new season, although lap times from these sessions are generally not considered fully representative.

Nevertheless, McLaren’s Lando Norris was the fastest driver of the day, outpacing both Ferrari drivers in a strong performance on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Hamilton, who is now preparing for his long-awaited debut with Ferrari in 2025, made his first appearance in the SF-24 and finished just ahead of future team-mate Leclerc.

 

 

 

Hamilton makes Ferrari test debut, goes faster than Leclerc

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is one of the biggest talking points ahead of the 2025 season. Although he won’t officially drive Ferrari’s new challenger until pre-season testing later this month, the seven-time world champion got an early taste of what’s to come.

Hamilton took the wheel of the SF-24, Ferrari’s 2024 car, for the first time at the Barcelona circuit as part of the Pirelli testing programme. The focus of these sessions was to evaluate prototype tyres for the 2026 season, but it was also a valuable opportunity for Hamilton to familiarise himself with Ferrari’s car characteristics and team environment.

According to *Motorsport.com*, Hamilton completed 87 laps on Tuesday and set a best time of **1:15.93**, just ahead of Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque completed 86 laps and set a best time of **1:16.06**, making Hamilton the quicker of the two Ferrari drivers on the day.

While these times may not be meaningful in terms of competitive pace – given the different fuel loads and test conditions – Hamilton’s performance provided an interesting benchmark. With stable regulations in place, his first real taste of Ferrari machinery will likely give him some early insights into what to expect in 2025.

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Lando Norris quickest in the McLaren MCL60

While Hamilton and Leclerc focused on Ferrari’s tyre testing, Lando Norris put in an impressive performance in his McLaren. The Briton, who finished runner-up in the 2024 championship, completed a staggering 159 laps in the MCL60 and set the fastest time of the day – 1:15.21 – well ahead of both Ferrari drivers.

McLaren’s participation in the test was also part of Pirelli’s ongoing evaluation, but Norris’ pace suggested that the Woking-based team remain competitive for 2025. Unlike Hamilton and Leclerc, Norris did not continue testing on Wednesday as McLaren handed over driving duties to Oscar Piastri.

Norris’ strong performance, even in a non-representative test, reinforces the idea that McLaren are determined to be a major contender in 2025. The team made significant progress in 2024, particularly in the second half of the season, and will be looking to build on that momentum.

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Alpine also in the mix, Jack Doohan gets track time

Joining Ferrari and McLaren at the Barcelona test was Alpine. The French company entered an **A523** for its test programme, with young Australian driver Jack Doohan behind the wheel. Alpine did not reveal the number of laps he completed or the times he set.

Doohan, who is part of the Alpine Drivers Academy, is considered a potential future Formula 1 driver. His participation in the test suggests that Alpine may be evaluating him for a more prominent role within the team. With speculation continuing about Alpine’s driver line-up beyond 2025, Doohan’s performance in these sessions could be a factor in future decisions.

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What comes next? Key dates for the 2025 F1 season

While these Pirelli test sessions provide a first look at driver performance, the official start of the 2025 Formula One season is still on the horizon. The first major milestone will come on **February 18**, when all the teams gather in London for a joint unveiling of their new cars. This will be the first time that fans and analysts will get a glimpse of the liveries and technical changes for the coming season.

The unveiling will be followed by pre-season testing in **Bahrain from 26-28 February**, giving the teams three days to fine-tune their set-ups before the opening race. The **2025 season officially kicks off on 14 March in Melbourne, Australia, marking the start of another highly anticipated year of Formula One action.

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Takeaways from the Barcelona test

• Lando Norris was the fastest driver of the day, setting a 1:15.21 in the McLaren and completing an impressive 159 laps
• Lewis Hamilton made his Ferrari test debut, driving the SF-24 for the first time and setting a best time of 1:15.93.
• Charles Leclerc finished just behind Hamilton with a best lap of 1:16.06 after completing 86 laps.
• Alpine also took part in the test, with Jack Doohan riding, but no times were officially released.
• The official pre-season tests begin on 26 February in Bahran,, leading up to the season opener in Melbourne on 14 March.

Although lap times from these sessions are not fully indicative of actual performance, Norris’ pace and Hamilton’s strong first outing with Ferrari add to the excitement building ahead of the new season. As the teams finalise their preparations for 2025, all eyes will be on Bahrain later this month to see how the grid really looks.

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MORE F1 NEWS – FIA late 2025 regulation change suits nobody

The FIA came under fire on a number of fronts during the 2024 season with the drivers’ union forced to pen only their second ever open letter to F1’s governing body. The strongly worded document demanded the president of the association treat the F1 competitors with more respect following his accusation they were behaving like ‘rappers.’

“We urge the FIA president to consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise,” the statement read. “Further, our members are adults. They do not need to be given instructions by the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery or underpants.”

Yet this was just one of the controversies which rocked F1 as FOM finally came out with their response to the FIA giving Andretti the green light to become the eleventh team on the grid. In an incoherent statement, the operating company owned by the F1 commercial rights holder appeared to suggest amongst other strange requirements that Andretti would be incapable of becoming a font running team quickly…READ MORE ON THIS STORY