Thirty-eight days after Lewis Hamilton made his extremely anticipated debut as an official Ferrari driver, getting into Maranello and posing for the now-iconic photograph outdoors Enzo Ferrari’s workplace in an all-black swimsuit, the seven-time World Champion is about to expertise his first true encounter with Ferrari’s 2025 equipment. This can occur in the course of the official three-day pre-season check in Bahrain, marking the subsequent important milestone in his transition to his new group.
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for the British driver, who has returned to work sooner than normal to maximise his time acclimating to the Ferrari group. After spending the previous 12 years at Mercedes, the change has been a major shift in each setting and expectations, and Lewis Hamilton has embraced the problem head-on.
His journey with Ferrari started with an in depth collection of introductions. He made it a degree to fulfill with each division in Maranello, personally shaking palms with round 1,500 Ferrari staff, ensuring to construct connections and study the internal workings of the group.
Simply days later, Hamilton had a sleepless night time in his motorhome, parked only a stone’s throw from the farmhouse that housed Enzo Ferrari’s workplace. Pleasure stored him awake as he anticipated his first official check in Ferrari equipment – a 30-lap session in a 2023-spec automobile at Ferrari’s famed Fiorano check observe. The expertise exceeded his expectations, with followers cheering from behind the fences as he obtained behind the wheel. His household was additionally current for the momentous event, including a private contact to the occasion.
The placement of Hamilton’s motorhome, adjoining to the observe, made the early mornings extra manageable. He would rise at 7 am native time and start his day with a couple of laps on the circuit, making the most of the proximity of his base. The setup allowed him to seamlessly transfer between the observe, group workplaces, and his motorhome, making it a super setting for work and rest. It additionally offered a novel alternative to carry working lunches together with his new engineers in a snug, non-public house, rushing up his integration with the group and serving to him settle into his new Ferrari life extra shortly. Hamilton expressed that having your complete group below one roof was a novel expertise he had by no means encountered earlier than, noting that in his earlier group, Mercedes, the engine base and aerodynamic headquarters had been situated in separate locations. He additionally talked about how unbelievable it was to have the observe simply outdoors the manufacturing unit, permitting them to roll out the automobile and take it onto the observe in Fiorano. Moreover, he shared how fascinating it was to study in regards to the historical past of the place.
Final Wednesday, Hamilton’s transient stroll to work proved particularly useful. He and the Ferrari group had solely simply returned from London, arriving simply earlier than 4 a.m. after attending the F1 75 Dwell occasion at The O2. Regardless of the late arrival, each Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc had simply a few hours to relaxation earlier than the demanding day forward. Their filming schedule and first official run within the 2025 Ferrari automobile had been set to start shortly thereafter, leaving them with little time to recharge earlier than diving straight into the motion. He talked about that Charles was the primary to drive the automobile, however he made a degree to make sure he stayed awake in order that Charles wouldn’t be the one one coping with the consequences of lack of sleep.
Hamilton is leaving no element missed in his efforts to settle into his new group. After years of forming robust relationships and familiarizing himself with the internal workings at Mercedes, becoming a member of Ferrari has felt like beginning over, just like getting into a brand new college. The reset button has been hit, and Hamilton is keen to maximise his time together with his new colleagues to make a easy transition.
A part of his integration course of contains studying Italian via customized classes, constructing upon the fundamental information he acquired throughout his karting days in Italy as a young person. Whereas English stays the first language of communication throughout the group, Hamilton has made important strides in understanding Italian. He can now observe conversations when his colleagues communicate in Italian and has grow to be snug partaking in easy conversations together with his mechanics. These exchanges usually concentrate on private matters, akin to household and weekend actions, additional fostering a way of camaraderie and easing his transition into the Ferrari household.
Hamilton’s integration into Ferrari is an thrilling chapter in his profession, and he’s leaving no stone unturned as he will get conversant in his new group. After a few years at Mercedes, the place he constructed deep relationships and discovered the ins and outs of the group, getting into Ferrari seems like beginning recent, virtually like getting into a brand new college. Keen to ascertain himself and settle in, Hamilton has made it a precedence to spend as a lot face-to-face time as attainable together with his new colleagues, serving to him shortly construct a robust reference to everybody.
A part of his immersion into the Ferrari tradition includes studying Italian. He has began one-on-one classes, increasing on the fundamental information he gained from his teenage years, when he raced go-karts in Italy. Whereas English stays the group’s main language, Hamilton is already understanding an excellent portion of what’s stated when colleagues converse in Italian. He’s additionally begun having informal conversations together with his mechanics about private issues, akin to household and weekend actions, making his transition smoother whereas additional bonding with the group.
Hamilton’s newfound expertise in Italian got here in useful throughout an essential second early in his time at Ferrari, when he skilled the primary crash in a Ferrari throughout a personal check in Barcelona. Although understandably nervous about returning to the storage to face his mechanics, Hamilton was met with nothing however help. The group was very happy for him to push the boundaries in non-public testing, the place the stakes are decrease in comparison with pre-season testing or race weekends.
Getting accustomed to Ferrari’s equipment has been a major problem for Hamilton, as he shortly found that the automobile operates in a “utterly totally different” method than something he’s pushed earlier than. Nonetheless, he discovered the expertise to be thrilling, and he’s been working exhausting to get a greater grasp of the automobile’s setup and the distinctive terminology Ferrari makes use of. This has required an adjustment interval, however Hamilton stays assured that he gained’t must drastically alter his driving type. Whereas he feels snug within the automobile, he acknowledges that the actual check will come at race circuits, the place he’ll see how nicely he adapts.
To benefit from his time at Ferrari, Hamilton has continued to make use of his motorhome as a base throughout his keep in Maranello. The motorhome offers him with time effectivity and luxury, however he’s additionally trying to get a spot in Milan in the course of the season. Though Milan is a two-hour commute from Maranello, it affords a greater stability of social connections and entry to associates, which he felt was extra useful than residing close to Maranello, the place he can be considerably remoted.
On the morning of his first check with Ferrari, Hamilton had an unforgettable second when he appeared within the mirror and noticed himself sporting the well-known purple overalls for the primary time. The sight was surreal and symbolized the start of his new life with Ferrari. For him, being a part of Ferrari is an honor, and moments like these have been a relentless reminder of the importance of this new chapter.
Hamilton is genuinely revitalized by the challenges Ferrari presents. The passion he feels for this new journey is akin to the joy he felt when he first joined McLaren and when he began a brand new period with Mercedes. He’s identified for his dedication and lengthy days on the observe, usually being the primary to reach and the final to depart. This dedication has continued at Ferrari, however what stands out this time is his newfound pleasure to be there. Not like latest years, the place he typically felt drained by the calls for of the job, Hamilton is now keen to place in additional effort and is having fun with the method of working together with his new group.
He admits that he by no means thought he’d be so keen about going to work at this stage in his profession. The constructive power he’s acquired from everybody at Ferrari, in addition to the help from followers, has reinvigorated him. Whereas he’s conscious that some might criticize his transfer, Hamilton feels that these voices are irrelevant in comparison with the joy of the journey he’s now on.
Although there are numerous new faces at Ferrari, Hamilton is lucky to have a number of acquainted names round him to assist together with his transition. He has been associates with Ferrari Chairman John Elkann for years and has additionally had common contact with Workforce Principal Fred Vasseur, having raced below Vasseur’s management within the GP2 collection. He additionally is aware of a number of latest Ferrari recruits, together with Jerome d’Ambrosio and Loic Serra, each of whom he labored with at Mercedes.
From the second Hamilton knew he can be becoming a member of Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc, he made it a precedence to construct a robust relationship together with his new teammate. Hamilton and Leclerc have all the time gotten alongside nicely, and since their pairing at Ferrari, Hamilton has made an effort to attach with Leclerc extra often. They share widespread floor, and Hamilton has praised Leclerc’s unbelievable work ethic and the precious insights he’s gained from his six years at Ferrari. Collectively, they purpose to raise the group, and Hamilton believes they are going to be one of many strongest driver pairings on the grid.
Hamilton is below no illusions in regards to the problem forward. Whereas he had months of testing forward of his F1 debut with McLaren and a number of pre-season checks with Mercedes, his time with Ferrari is extra restricted. He could have just one.5 days of working within the present automobile in the course of the Bahrain pre-season check, adopted by the season opener in Australia. Regardless of this, Hamilton has made probably the most of his time within the automobile, having already accomplished non-public checks at Fiorano and Barcelona in 2023-spec vehicles, in addition to extra runs in a modified 2024 automobile. These experiences have given him useful perception, however he admits that he’s nonetheless acclimating to the Ferrari automobile.
Hamilton stays decided to be prepared for the primary race of the season, although he is aware of that adapting to a brand new automobile takes time. He remembers it took him six months to win his first race with Mercedes, and he’s dedicated to placing within the work to be totally ready for race one. The Bahrain check might be a vital alternative for Hamilton to construct a rhythm with the automobile, fine-tune his understanding of its setup, and work with the group to unlock its full potential.
Ferrari appears to be in an excellent place after their strongest marketing campaign in years, and if they’ll carry that momentum into the brand new season, Hamilton could have a secure, balanced automobile that may combat for prime positions. It should then be as much as him to maximise that potential and benefit from the velocity accessible. This week’s check will present a glimpse into how Hamilton is adjusting to the brand new problem and whether or not he can rise to the event.
Purchase official Ferrari F1 merchandise!
Let different Scuderia Followers learn about us
