When Lewis Hamilton placed on his Ferrari race swimsuit for the primary time forward of his maiden check for the staff final month, he wanted a second to regulate to his new look.
Whereas placing on a set of overalls is computerized for racing drivers, accomplished hundreds of occasions via their careers, donning the long-lasting crimson of Ferrari is an honor bestowed on so few. And after 12 years within the silver and black of Mercedes, this was a giant change for Hamilton.
Ultimately, he was in Ferrari crimson. The joy and anticipation he felt had been lengthy within the making. Now, after F1’s season launch in London and his first check within the 2025 automotive, it’s a actuality.
Such surprise is one thing solely Ferrari can stir. Regardless of what number of world championships or races you win, the sensation of being a part of F1’s most famed, profitable staff is unmatched. It’s what made Hamilton wish to make the transfer and why he has radiated pleasure since beginning at Maranello in the course of January.
Nearing the brand new season and the official begin of his subsequent chapter, Hamilton’s enthusiasm has proven zero signal of subsiding. After a sobering last 12 months with Mercedes that appeared to sap a few of the fizz from his love for F1, usually hamstrung by an underperforming automotive, Hamilton has a contemporary spring in his step.
He’s revitalized. Renewed. And, importantly, he’s hopeful the record-breaking eighth world championship he got here inside one lap of successful in 2021 is inside his sights as soon as once more at Ferrari.
“They’ve got absolutely every ingredient they need to win a world championship,” Hamilton stated. “It’s just about putting all the pieces together.”
Adjusting to a brand new surroundings just isn’t one thing Hamilton has finished so much throughout his F1 profession.
In contrast to extra journeymen F1 drivers — on Tuesday, Carlos Sainz famous he’s pushed for half the grid in 10 years — Hamilton is transferring to only his third staff. It will likely be the primary time he has pushed with out Mercedes engines and the primary time he’s not racing for an English staff.
“This step is huge,” Hamilton stated on Wednesday after his first check in Ferrari’s new automotive. “It couldn’t be any bigger.” There’s been loads of adjustment, starting from the vibration of the Ferrari engine behind him to the completely different steering wheel capabilities and processes. Hamilton feels a newfound appreciation for drivers who’ve made these switches and been profitable instantly, however he’s embracing the change.
“Every day, I’m experiencing something new, which actually is really exciting,” Hamilton stated.
That features studying Italian. Whereas Ferrari conducts all of its conferences in English, Hamilton began taking Italian classes final 12 months to work together higher together with his mechanics and engineers, like chit-chatting about day-to-day life. Studying a brand new language has at all times been one in all Hamilton’s desires. He even gave a speech in Italian at Ferrari’s manufacturing facility final week and is raring to immerse himself in Italian tradition — together with the meals. “Last week, I had three pizzas,” Hamilton revealed, noting that whereas he has certainly misplaced weight, he knew he couldn’t maintain that up.
Vasseur and Hamilton debuted the SF-25 at F1 75 Stay on Tuesday. (Sam Bloxham/Getty Photographs)
The trouble Hamilton has made together with his new colleagues has not gone unnoticed. On his first day visiting the manufacturing facility, he tried to satisfy and shake arms with all 1,500 staff members. “He’s quite amazing with people,” stated Jerome d’Ambrosio, Ferrari’s new deputy staff principal who labored with Hamilton at Mercedes. “The team already loves him after the first day.”
Hamilton has additionally loved many features that make Ferrari distinctive, akin to having the complete staff beneath one roof — Mercedes’ engine facility was a 40-minute drive from the F1 staff headquarters — and even a check monitor on its doorstep.
Hamilton can also be already working properly together with his new teammate, Charles Leclerc. Whereas the pair had chatted previously, it was solely upon Hamilton’s official begin at Ferrari that they may begin working collectively. They’re already enjoying video games of chess towards one another, even throughout Tuesday’s F1 75 Stay occasion at The O2 — Hamilton is 3-2 up, in response to Leclerc. They’re displaying indicators of partnership.
“The first weeks of collaboration between the two is mega-good,” stated Ferrari staff principal Fred Vasseur. “I’m not surprised at all. We are starting in very good shape now. The most important thing is to keep this relationship, to continue to work as a team, and to push as a team.”
Vasseur stated Hamilton was the “perfect fit” for Ferrari proper now, whereas Leclerc thought the Briton was becoming a member of on the very best level because the staff’s mentality is now stronger than ever, partly due to Vasseur’s management. Now not in a rebuild, the championship is a practical objective for Ferrari.
“The fact Lewis has joined the team has been a big boost and has been amazing in so many ways,” Leclerc stated. “But I feel like the team is very, very calm and very calm and very clear in what is the direction to work in and not getting too affected by everything that is going on around the team. That is extremely important and great to see.”
What issues most is how Hamilton performs when the brand new F1 season begins and the way Ferrari compares to the competitors.
Hamilton was adamant Ferrari had all of the elements to win the world championship for the primary time since 2008. The staff solely fell 14 factors shy of the constructors’ crown final 12 months, dropping to McLaren. An extremely nice margin — however a decisive one. Getting into a season the place Vasseur expects 4 groups to be in competition for race wins, each final thousandth of a second will matter.
“It’s not a matter of changing the car completely or whatever,” stated Vasseur. “If we are able to bring a small bit of performance on one or two topics, it’s already a huge step forward. And Lewis is coming with his own experience, with his own background. He will help the team to develop in every single area.”
Ferrari opted for one main design change with its 2025 automotive: switching from a push-rod suspension to a pull-rod design, believing it could clear up the airflow across the automotive and permit for better aerodynamic growth after it had exhausted all areas with final 12 months’s mannequin. Though the SF-25 is an evolution of final 12 months’s mannequin and the general automotive idea stays the identical, decreasing the educational curve the staff will undergo, each single half is new.
Even when Hamilton has confidence in Ferrari’s title-winning capability, he famous simply how fierce the competitors is about to be this 12 months. “It’s far too early to know what the year is going to be like,” Hamilton stated. “What we do know is that it’s going to be very close between the top teams. We’ve not seen the other cars; we’ve not been on the track with the other cars.”
Lewis Hamilton greets followers on the finish of the day’s working at Fiorano Circuit on February 19, 2025. (Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Photographs)
An eighth drivers’ title is the objective, however Hamilton’s appreciation for Ferrari runs deep and he is aware of how important ending the staff’s title drought will likely be — if something, extra important given how invested everybody at Maranello (and throughout Italy) is to make it occur. “That’s what I’m working towards,” he stated. “I don’t think about the number eight. I’m thinking about the first championship that the team has won for some time.”
Hamilton is aware of how a lot laborious work nonetheless lies forward to prepare for the brand new season, however the spark he has rediscovered with this transfer to Ferrari is clear from each single interplay. It has given him a contemporary lease of life in some ways. At 40, there isn’t a signal he is considering how his F1 profession could finish. He feels younger and stays in peak bodily situation. And this new challenge is barely spurring him on.
“The energy that I’m receiving from the team, there’s magic here,” Hamilton stated. “It’s going to nonetheless take quite a lot of laborious work and grafting from completely everybody and everyone seems to be placing that in already to attain it.
“But it’s also about belief. Everyone here dreams of winning with Ferrari, every single person in this team.”
After a tough few years, that perception is coming again to Lewis Hamilton. The approaching weeks will reveal simply how real his title likelihood is in his first 12 months in crimson. However for now, issues really feel good.
“I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Hamilton stated. “It feels natural, it feels right.”
(Prime photograph of Lewis Hamilton: Sam Bloxham/Getty Photographs)
