Thirty-eight days after Lewis Hamilton made his extremely anticipated debut as an official Ferrari driver, moving into Maranello and posing for the now-iconic picture exterior Enzo Ferrari’s workplace in an all-black go well with, the seven-time World Champion is about to expertise his first true encounter with Ferrari’s 2025 equipment. It will occur through the official three-day pre-season check in Bahrain, marking the following vital 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 common to maximise his time acclimating to the Ferrari group. After spending the previous 12 years at Mercedes, the change has been a big shift in each surroundings and expectations, and Lewis Hamilton has embraced the problem head-on.
His journey with Ferrari started with an intensive collection of introductions. He made it some extent to fulfill with each division in Maranello, personally shaking fingers with round 1,500 Ferrari workers, ensuring to construct connections and study the inside 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 saved him awake as he anticipated his first official check in Ferrari equipment – a 30-lap session in a 2023-spec automotive at Ferrari’s famed Fiorano check observe. The expertise exceeded his expectations, with followers cheering from behind the fences as he received 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 just a few laps on the circuit, profiting from the proximity of his base. The setup allowed him to seamlessly transfer between the observe, group workplaces, and his motorhome, making it a perfect surroundings for work and rest. It additionally offered a novel alternative to carry working lunches together with his new engineers in a cushty, non-public area, dashing up his integration with the group and serving to him settle into his new Ferrari life extra shortly. Hamilton expressed that having your entire 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 exterior the manufacturing unit, permitting them to roll out the automotive and take it onto the observe in Fiorano. Moreover, he shared how fascinating it was to study concerning the historical past of the place.
Final Wednesday, Hamilton’s temporary 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 Stay 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 automotive 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 automotive, however he made some extent to make sure he stayed awake in order that Charles wouldn’t be the one one coping with the results 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 inside workings at Mercedes, becoming a member of Ferrari has felt like beginning over, just like coming 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 consists of studying Italian by way of customized classes, constructing upon the essential information he acquired throughout his karting days in Italy as an adolescent. Whereas English stays the first language of communication throughout the group, Hamilton has made vital strides in understanding Italian. He can now comply with conversations when his colleagues converse in Italian and has turn out to be comfy participating in easy conversations together with his mechanics. These exchanges usually concentrate on private subjects, similar 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 accustomed to his new group. After a few years at Mercedes, the place he constructed deep relationships and discovered the ins and outs of the group, moving into Ferrari appears like beginning recent, nearly like coming 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 potential together with his new colleagues, serving to him shortly construct a powerful reference to everybody.
A part of his immersion into the Ferrari tradition entails studying Italian. He has began one-on-one classes, increasing on the essential 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 mentioned when colleagues converse in Italian. He’s additionally begun having informal conversations together with his mechanics about private issues, similar to household and weekend actions, making his transition smoother whereas additional bonding with the group.
Hamilton’s newfound abilities in Italian got here in useful throughout an vital second early in his time at Ferrari, when he skilled the primary crash in a Ferrari throughout a non-public 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 big problem for Hamilton, as he shortly found that the automotive operates in a “fully totally different” method than something he’s pushed earlier than. Nonetheless, he discovered the expertise to be thrilling, and he’s been working onerous to get a greater grasp of the automotive’s setup and the distinctive terminology Ferrari makes use of. This has required an adjustment interval, however Hamilton stays assured that he received’t need to drastically alter his driving type. Whereas he feels comfy within the automotive, he acknowledges that the true check will come at race circuits, the place he’ll see how properly he adapts.
To take advantage of his time at Ferrari, Hamilton has continued to make use of his motorhome as a base throughout his keep in Maranello. The motorhome supplies him with time effectivity and luxury, however he’s additionally seeking to get a spot in Milan through the season. Though Milan is a two-hour commute from Maranello, it provides a greater steadiness of social connections and entry to mates, which he felt was extra invaluable 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 regarded within the mirror and noticed himself carrying the well-known crimson 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 continuing reminder of the importance of this new chapter.
Hamilton is genuinely revitalized by the challenges Ferrari presents. The keenness he feels for this new journey is akin to the thrill he felt when he first joined McLaren and when he began a brand new period with Mercedes. He’s recognized 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. In contrast to 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 captivated with going to work at this stage in his profession. The constructive vitality he’s obtained from everybody at Ferrari, in addition to the help from followers, has reinvigorated him. Whereas he’s conscious that some could criticize his transfer, Hamilton feels that these voices are irrelevant in comparison with the thrill of the journey he’s now on.
Although there are various 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 mates with Ferrari Chairman John Elkann for years and has additionally had common contact with Group 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 powerful relationship together with his new teammate. Hamilton and Leclerc have at all times gotten alongside properly, and since their pairing at Ferrari, Hamilton has made an effort to attach with Leclerc extra ceaselessly. 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 goal 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 concerning the problem forward. Whereas he had months of testing forward of his F1 debut with McLaren and a number of pre-season assessments with Mercedes, his time with Ferrari is extra restricted. He can have just one.5 days of working within the present automotive through 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 automotive, having already accomplished non-public assessments at Fiorano and Barcelona in 2023-spec vehicles, in addition to extra runs in a modified 2024 automotive. These experiences have given him invaluable perception, however he admits that he’s nonetheless acclimating to the Ferrari automotive.
Hamilton stays decided to be prepared for the primary race of the season, although he is aware of that adapting to a brand new automotive 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 will likely be a vital alternative for Hamilton to construct a rhythm with the automotive, 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 can have a steady, balanced automotive that may combat for high positions. It’s going to then be as much as him to maximise that potential and take advantage of 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.
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