Hamilton and Leclerc Share Their First Impressions of the Ferrari SF-26

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have shared their initial thoughts on the new Ferrari SF-26. The duo got behind the wheel of the car at Fiorano earlier this month.

Ferrari unveiled the SF-26 online before handing the car over to Hamilton and Leclerc for a brief test drive. It was just the start of the new era for Scuderia Ferrari.

Hamilton seemed genuinely thrilled to be driving the new car, 'It's a wonderful feeling when you hear the engine roaring to life and feel the vibrations coursing through your body as you pull away from the pit crew, making your way to Turn 1 where you catch a glimpse of the Tifosi cheering you on.' He told F1.com.

Hamilton confessed that this experience felt 'something I'd never grow accustomed to, yet something I'll never forget.' He added that it was 'all about reconnecting with the team, and the passion of our fans.'

It was a day to reignite the spark within, Leclerc observed, 'This day is about reconnecting with the team, reconnecting with the spirit of everyone who follows this team.'

Leclerc, who has expressed high expectations this season, seemed cautious not to jump the gun in his assessment, 'I'm definitely looking forward to this day every year. However, today's focus was on checking if everything works as it should and not encountering any major issues, which we did, so that's a positive.' He said.

He added, however, that it's still too early to comment on the car's performance, 'In terms of performance, it's still too early to say anything. The conditions weren't ideal, there was a lot of fog and some light rain, so it wasn't the perfect scenario to test the car for the first time.'

In a more measured tone, he said, 'But I am really relieved that there's been a lot of work done behind the scenes to prepare for this moment, and the car was able to run on the track without any major issues, and it was able to check all the sensors it should check.'

Hamlton is determined to put the disappointing 2022 behind him and start fresh this season, 'If you look at my interviews from previous years, I wouldn't have said I was buzzing or anything, but I am buzzing. I am excited for the new beginning.'

The main goal is to set aside time for a proper reset despite it being the shortest winter break ever, 'The focus is on regrouping, getting plenty of rest - although we've had the shortest winter break ever - and I think just learning new patterns and forgetting old habits, making sure you're coming back the right way.'

Hamlton and Leclerc will be back in the Ferrari cockpit for the first pre-season test at Barcelona this week.

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