Lewis Hamilton surrenders Ferrari seat to rookie Dino Beganovic in Spain
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton will miss the opening practice session at this weekend’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix to allow rookie Dino Beganovic to take the wheel.
The seven-time world champion enters the Spanish event fresh from a second-placed finish behind Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli in Monaco.
Antonelli currently holds a commanding 66-point lead over the British veteran in the drivers’ championship standings.
Formula 1 regulations mandate that every full-time driver must surrender their seat on two separate occasions each year to provide junior talent with vital track time.
Beganovic gets Ferrari opportunity
Swedish prospect Beganovic has spent several years developing his race craft within the prestigious Ferrari Driver Academy.
The young driver already has two previous first practice outings under his belt and views the familiar Montmelo circuit as an ideal testing ground.
“My aim is to do the job the team requires of me, provide useful feedback, and adapt to the car as much as possible.”
He added that adapting to the new car regulations quickly will be his primary focus during the 60-minute session.
“Putting on the red race suit, getting back behind the wheel, and working closely with the engineers and mechanics is something unique, so I’m really looking forward to Barcelona.”
Aston Martin brace for further pain
Elsewhere in the paddock, Fernando Alonso has warned his Aston Martin team to expect more difficult weekends before significant car upgrades arrive.
The constructor has opted against bringing incremental improvements, choosing instead to wait for one major aerodynamic package to comply with strict cost cap restrictions.
The two-time world champion secured his team’s first point of the season on the streets of Monte Carlo last time out.
That top-10 finish only materialised after Cadillac driver Sergio Perez received a post-race penalty, leaving the Silverstone-based outfit languishing near the bottom of the constructors’ standings.
