Lewis Hamilton replaced by former F1 driver at crucial 2026 test

Lewis Hamilton will not take part in a Pirelli tyre test with
Ferrari on Friday, having been scheduled to carry out driving
duties alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc. F1's tyre supplier
Pirelli is set up at the Mugello Circuit in Italy, where it is
conducting important tests on its 2026 tyre range. The tyres for
next year will be introduced to F1 alongside a dramatic rule change
for both the chassis and power unit regulations. Pirelli has been
testing its range all year, and its latest outing began on Thursday
with Haas' Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman driving a mule car based
on the 2024 challenger, adapted to accommodate the 2026 tyres.
Romain Grosjean will also get a run out in an F1 car at the test
for the first time since his horror crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand
Prix. Friday marks Ferrari's turn to gather data for Pirelli, and
while Leclerc will be present for the Italian team, Hamilton will
not. The seven-time champion has been replaced by former F1 driver
Zhou Guanyu, who returned to Ferrari this year as a reserve driver
following his split from Sauber. Hamilton's reason for skipping the
test are not yet known. However, earlier this week, Hamilton shared
that his dog Roscoe had suffered a health scare and urged all to
keep the bulldog in their thoughts and prayers. Hamilton will jump
back behind the wheel next weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix as
he continues to seek his first podium for Ferrari.