The Monegasque driver was the best on the day of Pirelli testing in Barcelona.

On the first day of testing with Pirelli tyres, Lewis Hamilton set a fastest time of 1:15.93 while Leclerc clocked a 1:16.060, but apart from those two figures, not much else has been revealed: What tyre compound did Hamilton and Leclerc use? What was the temperature of the asphalt? Did they set their fastest time in the morning or in the afternoon? From the possible C1 to the C5, the prototypes that the Milanese brand is testing for 2026, there could be more than a second of difference, so a tenth could have all kinds of nuances.

But there are some positive tales for the newcomer, such as his rapid adaptation after just three days of experience in older Ferrari cars and on two different circuits. He is also already able to push the limits in the 2024 car, the SF-24, which has been modified to fit the (already smaller) Pirelli tyres for next year. Another positive note is that last week’s accident at the same venue appears not to have affected him at all. These are rather childish quibbles, as would anyone expect anything else from a seven-time world champion like Hamilton?

The differences, if any, will be seen in Bahrain with similar programmes and the new car, in the pre-season tests (26, 27 and 28 February), as those results will somewhat determine what can be seen in the initial races of the year. Everyone expects Leclerc, due to his experience in the team and his worth over one lap, to be slightly ahead at the start, but that may not be the case.

The comparison is reminiscent of 2021, when Carlos Sainz beat Leclerc in the first test at Fiorano and the unofficial times were leaked. It was clear from the start that he would be tenth above or below Leclerc and in this case it is very similar. We have to wait, because a year with a really interesting duel between the two is coming up, in what is perhaps the most equal pairing of the entire 2025 grid.

Leclerc beats him by 1.8sec on WednesdayThe second day on Wednesday was a very different story, with Leclerc setting the fastest time. The Monegasque driver clocked a 1:14.971 and his teammate Hamilton was slightly slower, with a best lap of 1:16.759. Piastri slotted in between the two Ferrari drivers, with a time of 1:15.815. Pirelli clarified that the times did not show any significant differences between the drivers, as each had a different training programme.