The chequered flag waved final Tuesday night, marking the top of the post-season testing day on the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island and signaling the official begin of the countdown to the 2025 Formulation 1 season. Though main modifications to the game’s rules gained’t come till 2026, there’s nonetheless lots to look ahead to because the F1 paddock prepares for pre-season testing in Bahrain on February 26, 2024.
Probably the most intriguing storylines for the 2025 season revolves across the vital driver modifications set to happen throughout a number of groups. In reality, greater than half of the grid will characteristic no less than one new driver, with one producer specifically grabbing the highlight for his or her strikes. Ferrari, in a daring and strategic transfer, has managed to recruit essentially the most profitable driver in F1 historical past, Lewis Hamilton, who can be racing for less than his third crew in what can be his 18th season within the sport.
The British driver, identified for his intense rivalries with a few of F1’s best drivers, has had his fair proportion of challenges with teammates through the years. From his infamous conflict with Fernando Alonso throughout his debut season with McLaren in 2007 to his fierce battle with Nico Rosberg, Hamilton has skilled a variety of dynamics inside his groups. His partnership with Jenson Button at McLaren was one other defining second in his profession, adopted by his dominant years with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton has additionally performed a vital position in mentoring George Russell, who will take over as Mercedes’ crew chief beginning subsequent 12 months.
Nonetheless, Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, will current a really completely different problem. Charles Leclerc, probably the most gifted and profitable homegrown drivers in fashionable F1, has already made a major mark inside Ferrari, and his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton guarantees to be probably the most thrilling narratives within the sport. The Monegasque driver himself has acknowledged the distinct distinction between Hamilton and his former teammate Carlos Sainz, with the 2 sharing a bond of mutual respect, as seen of their interplay after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
A report from the Italian each day newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport has make clear how Ferrari ended their season on a excessive be aware regardless of not securing the Constructors’ Championship. It was vital for the crew to provide Sainz a becoming farewell after his 4 years of devoted service. The Spaniard was deeply moved by a heartfelt farewell video, and a number of the Ferrari employees serenaded him with the music “Sara Perche Ti Amo,” a tribute to AC Milan that interprets to “It should be as a result of I like you.” Charles Leclerc, in a touching gesture, devoted his race helmet to Sainz and expressed his eagerness to race alongside him sooner or later.
In the meantime, after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was seen within the paddock sharing an emotional embrace with Leclerc. In response to the Italian media, it was a second stuffed with melancholy, as Ferrari had fallen brief of their bid to catch McLaren within the Constructors’ standings. Leclerc’s spectacular third-place end, regardless of a grid penalty, underscored his resilience all through the weekend.
The looks of the seven-time Formulation 1 world champion on the Ferrari storage was additionally famous by the Italian media, with some followers questioning his wardrobe selections. Whereas most drivers stick with team-branded apparel when coming into the paddock, Lewis Hamilton is understood for his distinctive fashion and barely wears Mercedes merchandise until required. For the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he transitioned from an all-white outfit after Friday’s follow periods to donning Ferrari crimson on Sunday, sparking hypothesis about his upcoming transfer. After the race, Lewis Hamilton was noticed coming into the Ferrari storage, although it’s unclear what he was doing there or how lengthy he spent along with his future crew. It’s possible that he’s already starting the method of integrating himself into Ferrari’s operations forward of probably the most vital modifications he’ll expertise in his F1 profession.
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