When Lewis Hamilton placed on his Ferrari race go well with for the primary time forward of his maiden check for the crew final month, he wanted a second to regulate to his new look.
Whereas placing on a set of overalls is automated for racing drivers, accomplished hundreds of instances via their careers, donning the enduring purple of Ferrari is an honor bestowed on so few. And after 12 years within the silver and black of Mercedes, this was an enormous change for Hamilton.
Ultimately, he was in Ferrari purple. The thrill 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 automobile, it’s a actuality.
Such marvel is one thing solely Ferrari can stir. Irrespective of what number of world championships or races you win, the sensation of being a part of F1’s most famed, profitable crew 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 ultimate yr with Mercedes that appeared to sap a few of the fizz from his love for F1, usually hamstrung by an underperforming automobile, Hamilton has a recent 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 profitable in 2021 is inside his sights as soon as once more at Ferrari.
“They’ve acquired completely each ingredient they should win a world championship,” Hamilton stated. “It’s nearly placing all of the items collectively.”
Adjusting to a brand new atmosphere is just not one thing Hamilton has executed loads throughout his F1 profession.
Not like 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 crew. It is going to be the primary time he has pushed with out Mercedes engines and the primary time he’s not racing for an English crew.
“This step is big,” Hamilton stated on Wednesday after his first check in Ferrari’s new automobile. “It couldn’t be any larger.” There’s been loads of adjustment, starting from the vibration of the Ferrari engine behind him to the totally 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.
“Day-after-day, I’m experiencing one thing new, which really is basically thrilling,” Hamilton stated.
That features studying Italian. Whereas Ferrari conducts all of its conferences in English, Hamilton began taking Italian classes final yr to work together higher along with his mechanics and engineers, like chit-chatting about day-to-day life. Studying a brand new language has all the time been one in every of Hamilton’s desires. He even gave a speech in Italian at Ferrari’s manufacturing unit final week and is keen to immerse himself in Italian tradition — together with the meals. “Final week, I had three pizzas,” Hamilton revealed, noting that whereas he has certainly misplaced weight, he knew he couldn’t preserve that up.
Vasseur and Hamilton debuted the SF-25 at F1 75 Reside on Tuesday. (Sam Bloxham/Getty Photos)
The hassle Hamilton has made along with his new colleagues has not gone unnoticed. On his first day visiting the manufacturing unit, he tried to fulfill and shake arms with all 1,500 crew members. “He’s fairly superb with folks,” stated Jerome d’Ambrosio, Ferrari’s new deputy crew principal who labored with Hamilton at Mercedes. “The crew already loves him after the primary day.”
Hamilton has additionally loved many features that make Ferrari distinctive, comparable to having the whole crew beneath one roof — Mercedes’ engine facility was a 40-minute drive from the F1 crew headquarters — and even a check observe on its doorstep.
Hamilton can also be already working nicely along 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 Reside occasion at The O2 — Hamilton is 3-2 up, in accordance with Leclerc. They’re exhibiting indicators of an excellent partnership.
“The primary weeks of collaboration between the 2 is mega-good,” stated Ferrari crew principal Fred Vasseur. “I’m not stunned in any respect. We’re beginning in excellent form now. Crucial factor is to maintain this relationship, to proceed to work as a crew, and to push as a crew.”
Vasseur stated Hamilton was the “good match” for Ferrari proper now, whereas Leclerc thought the Briton was becoming a member of on the superb level because the crew’s mentality is now stronger than ever, partially due to Vasseur’s management. Now not in a rebuild, the championship is a practical purpose for Ferrari.
“The very fact Lewis has joined the crew has been an enormous increase and has been superb in so some ways,” Leclerc stated. “However I really feel just like the crew could be very, very calm and really calm and really clear in what’s the path to work in and never getting too affected by every part that is occurring across the crew. That’s extraordinarily vital and nice 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 substances to win the world championship for the primary time since 2008. The crew solely fell 14 factors shy of the constructors’ crown final yr, shedding to McLaren. An extremely wonderful 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 fixing the automobile utterly or no matter,” stated Vasseur. “If we’re in a position to deliver a small little bit of efficiency on one or two matters, it’s already an enormous step ahead. And Lewis is coming along with his personal expertise, along with his personal background. He’ll assist the crew to develop in each single space.”
Ferrari opted for one main design change with its 2025 automobile: switching from a push-rod suspension to a pull-rod design, believing it will clear up the airflow across the automobile and permit for larger aerodynamic improvement after it had exhausted all areas with final yr’s mannequin. Though the SF-25 is an evolution of final yr’s mannequin and the general automobile idea stays the identical, decreasing the training curve the crew will undergo, each single half is new.
Even when Hamilton has confidence in Ferrari’s title-winning potential, he famous simply how fierce the competitors is ready to be this yr. “It’s far too early to know what the yr goes to be like,” Hamilton stated. “What we do know is that it’s going to be very shut between the highest groups. We’ve not seen the opposite automobiles; we’ve not been on the observe with the opposite automobiles.”
Lewis Hamilton greets followers on the finish of the day’s working at Fiorano Circuit on February 19, 2025. (Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Photos)
An eighth drivers’ title is the purpose, however Hamilton’s appreciation for Ferrari runs deep and he is aware of how vital ending the crew’s title drought will probably be — if something, extra vital given how invested everybody at Maranello (and throughout Italy) is to make it occur. “That’s what I’m working in direction of,” he stated. “I don’t take into consideration the quantity eight. I’m serious about the primary championship that the crew has received for a while.”
Hamilton is aware of how a lot onerous 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 recent lease of life in some ways. At 40, there is no such thing as a signal he is considering how his F1 profession might finish. He feels younger and stays in peak bodily situation. And this new venture is simply spurring him on.
“The power that I’m receiving from the crew, there’s magic right here,” Hamilton stated. “It’s going to nonetheless take a variety of onerous work and grafting from completely everybody and everyone seems to be placing that in already to realize it.
“But it surely’s additionally about perception. Everybody right here desires of profitable with Ferrari, each single individual on this crew.”
After a troublesome few years, that perception is coming again to Lewis Hamilton. The approaching weeks will reveal simply how real his title chances are high in his first yr in purple. However for now, issues really feel good.
“I do know I’m precisely the place I’m presupposed to be,” Hamilton stated. “It feels pure, it feels proper.”
(Prime photograph of Lewis Hamilton: Sam Bloxham/Getty Photos)