It took him simply sooner or later to win everybody over: Lewis Hamilton confirmed up for his first day as an official Ferrari driver and instantly stirred robust feelings. Followers ready exterior the Maranello manufacturing unit braved a chilly, wet, and gloomy day, what Italian singer-songwriter and composer Lucio Battisti might need known as dreary, and have been “lit up” by Lewis, who didn’t draw back from the nice and cozy embrace of many who, till yesterday, noticed him as an opponent and even an enemy. Now, they’re able to assist him, as he is perhaps the champion to carry Ferrari again to profitable a Components 1 world championship.
Ferrari’s final drivers’ title dates again to 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen, and the Constructors’ title to 2008. Eighteen years is an eternity for Components 1, which strikes extremely quick. Different world champions like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel have tried to reconnect Ferrari with championship glory however failed to realize the purpose. They arrived with a lot fanfare, just for the preliminary pleasure to ultimately fade away.
Will it’s the identical for Lewis Hamilton? He enters Maranello at forty years previous—the age when many cling up their helmets. The British driver would be the first Black driver to sit down in a purple automotive, a champion getting into Components 1’s holy floor after shattering all of Michael Schumacher’s data. The eighth title may eclipse the German driver’s seven. That is the hope, the expectation.
No lodge room might be discovered for kilometers round forward of tomorrow’s debut at Fiorano. Proud ceramic or actual property managers who had scheduled conferences in Maranello selected January 22 to catch a glimpse of Lewis within the purple automotive. It’s a phenomenon that goes far past mere Ferrari ardour, one thing the Scuderia must handle indirectly.
Whereas exterior enthusiasm from followers was predictable, the inner pleasure throughout the racing division was not as anticipated. That is an atmosphere the place Charles Leclerc has been the chief, younger, recent, formidable. Wanting to win however constrained by a automotive that has lengthy prevented him from realizing his full potential. Now that the SF-25 is perhaps the precise automotive to lastly make a severe try, within the last yr of Components 1’s ground-effect laws, essentially the most embellished driver of all time arrives.
In a single day, he took middle stage. All the stage. He adopted the staff’s work schedule, specifically seat becoming and simulator, however he additionally wished to fulfill and greet each member of the Ferrari Racing Division. Within the morning, he was launched by Giuseppe Vigna, Ferrari chief government officer, and Frederic Vasseur, staff principal. Within the afternoon, he introduced alongside John Elkann, virtually reversing their roles, as Lewis Hamilton ventured into departments the place the president had by no means set foot. Handshakes, selfies, jokes: Lewis Hamilton related deeply. He struck an emotional chord with individuals who had by no means seen their idol come to their desks and planted a seed.
Even these with grey hair, who’ve seen numerous drivers move by way of throughout their careers, have been moved. Lewis Hamilton arrived in Maranello wearing black, impeccable in his coat and tie, with a proper and putting look. He gave us a picture that’s already a part of Ferrari’s historical past, standing in entrance of the Drake’s workplace and the F40, a technological icon of Ferrari custom. He entered the racing division with a disruptive but respectful method, totally conscious he was stepping right into a legend. However he didn’t let the Scuderia’s status overshadow him. He may have instantly worn the Ferrari uniform, however as an alternative, he selected to say his (robust) persona by remaining Lewis, the seven-time Components 1 world champion.
At this time, he will likely be seen wearing purple and can start working together with his staff as one of many two drivers for the 2025 Components 1 season. The British driver has deeply touched these getting ready the single-seater which is internally generally known as “the automotive for Lewis.” It’s clear that even an enthusiastic John Elkann has seemingly nurtured his normally hidden ardour for Ferrari. The president was in a position to gauge simply how spot-on his resolution to carry Lewis Hamilton on board has been.
The media operation will likely be an enormous success. Ferrari has guess on an envoy unmatched on a worldwide scale. Lewis Hamilton almost overshadowed the simultaneous launch of Ducati’s Desmosedici at Madonna di Campiglio, however who may have imagined that the Englishman’s first day in Maranello would have such an awesome affect? Nobody.
Now, Lewis Hamilton is working within the simulator, studying the procedures that should change into second nature, automated earlier than the season begins. The preparation for a Components 1 championship wherein Ferrari is taking part in with a two-pronged assault, a dream staff, has began. It is going to be the stopwatch that defines the values and the stability of energy. Charles Leclerc is the one who hopes…
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