P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton’s stint at Ferrari did not get off to the smoothest start as he suffered a crash during a private test event last week.
Former F1 driver David Coulthard has weighed in on Lewis Hamilton’s recent crash during a private Ferrari test, attributing it to Hamilton adjusting to the new Ferrari systems ahead of his debut season with the team. Hamilton’s switch from Mercedes to Ferrari marks a significant change in his career after 12 years with Mercedes and exclusively using Mercedes engines. The crash occurred during a TPC session at the Circuit de Catalunya, with Coulthard downplaying its importance as an occupational hazard for any driver, including champions like Hamilton. Coulthard suggested that Hamilton may have been caught off guard by the different power delivery and control systems of Ferrari’s hybrid engines, having been accustomed to Mercedes’ setup for years. As Hamilton familiarizes himself with the Ferrari machinery, Coulthard believes incidents like this could occur due to the adjustment process.
