RacingLewis Hamilton spent day one pounding around Fiorano in Ferrari’s SF-26, but he did it blind to the tyres beneath him as Pirelli dictated every run. The supplier kept compounds secret, set fuel loads and lap counts, and soaked the circuit to build wet-weather data. Ferrari got seat time. It did not get performance answers.
This was a two-day Pirelli program run entirely to the supplier’s plan at Ferrari’s test track. Hamilton handled Thursday’s mileage, with Charles Leclerc scheduled to take over on Friday. Pirelli controlled the conditions by artificially wetting the surface, then sent the car through predetermined sequences. Every lap, every out-in cycle, every stint length came from Pirelli. All the data flowed back to the tyre company only, which means Ferrari could not assess upgrades or compare set-ups. That is the rule for these tests, and the team stuck to it.
The session replaces a previously planned Bahrain run that was canceled amid disruptions in the Middle East. Instead of running there, Pirelli turned to Ferrari at Fiorano to continue its wet-tyre work, using Hamilton and then Leclerc to collect the miles it needed. The focus stayed narrow: build the tyre database, vary water levels, and log consistent laps without development work on the car.
For Hamilton, the day still mattered. Even without setup freedom, he added more laps in the SF-26 and kept sharpening the feel for Ferrari’s procedures and ergonomics. Leclerc will get the same benefit on Friday, rotating through the same locked program with no room to chase performance. The format prevents the team from learning how the SF-26 behaves with different parts, and it stops any sneaky back-to-back runs. That is by design. These are Pirelli’s tests, not a shortcut for car development.
Separate from the tyre work, Ferrari has a filming day at Monza scheduled under F1’s regulations. Those events are limited in mileage and run on demonstration tyres, but teams often use them to gather basic systems footage and shakedown parts. Reports indicate Ferrari could use that day to run updates, including the ‘Macarena’ rear wing that first appeared in Chinese Grand Prix practice. That would sit outside the Pirelli program and within what the rules allow for promotional running.
By the end of Thursday, the story stayed the same: controlled laps, a wet Fiorano, and a blank performance notebook for Ferrari. Pirelli got its data. Hamilton got more time in red. Leclerc is up next to finish the plan.