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 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. It will occur throughout 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 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 be taught the interior 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 automobile at Ferrari’s famed Fiorano check monitor. 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 situation of Hamilton’s motorhome, adjoining to the monitor, 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 monitor, group workplaces, and his motorhome, making it a great surroundings for work and leisure. It additionally offered a singular alternative to carry working lunches along with his new engineers in a snug, personal house, dashing up his integration with the group and serving to him settle into his new Ferrari life extra shortly. Hamilton expressed that having the complete group beneath one roof was a singular expertise he had by no means encountered earlier than, noting that in his earlier group, Mercedes, the engine base and aerodynamic headquarters had been positioned in separate locations. He additionally talked about how unimaginable it was to have the monitor simply outdoors the manufacturing facility, permitting them to roll out the automobile and take it onto the monitor in Fiorano. Moreover, he shared how fascinating it was to be taught 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 Reside 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 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 ignored in his efforts to settle into his new group. After years of forming sturdy relationships and familiarizing himself with the interior 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 raring to maximise his time along with his new colleagues to make a easy transition.
A part of his integration course of contains studying Italian by personalised classes, constructing upon the essential data he acquired throughout his karting days in Italy as a youngster. 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 converse in Italian and has turn out to be snug participating in easy conversations along with his mechanics. These exchanges typically concentrate on private matters, comparable 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 aware of his new group. After a few years at Mercedes, the place he constructed deep relationships and realized the ins and outs of the group, moving into Ferrari appears like beginning recent, nearly like coming into a brand new college. Keen to determine himself and settle in, Hamilton has made it a precedence to spend as a lot face-to-face time as attainable along 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 essential data 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 portion of what’s mentioned when colleagues converse in Italian. He’s additionally begun having informal conversations along with his mechanics about private issues, comparable to household and weekend actions, making his transition smoother whereas additional bonding with the group.
Hamilton’s newfound abilities in Italian got here in helpful 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 assist. The group was more than pleased for him to push the boundaries in personal 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 “fully 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 received’t need to drastically alter his driving fashion. Whereas he feels snug within the automobile, he acknowledges that the actual check will come at race circuits, the place he’ll see how effectively 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 gives him with time effectivity and luxury, however he’s additionally seeking to get a spot in Milan throughout 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 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 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 similar 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 monitor, typically 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 generally 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 along 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 assist 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 numerous new faces at Ferrari, Hamilton is lucky to have a number of acquainted names round him to assist along with his transition. He has been mates with Ferrari Chairman John Elkann for years and has additionally had common contact with Staff Principal Fred Vasseur, having raced beneath 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 along with his new teammate. Hamilton and Leclerc have at all times gotten alongside effectively, and since their pairing at Ferrari, Hamilton has made an effort to attach with Leclerc extra continuously. They share frequent floor, and Hamilton has praised Leclerc’s unimaginable work ethic and the dear 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 beneath 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 may have just one.5 days of operating within the present automobile throughout the Bahrain pre-season check, adopted by the season opener in Australia. Regardless of this, Hamilton has made essentially the most of his time within the automobile, having already accomplished personal checks at Fiorano and Barcelona in 2023-spec vehicles, in addition to further runs in a modified 2024 automobile. These experiences have given him invaluable 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 absolutely ready for race one. The Bahrain check can 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 place after their strongest marketing campaign in years, and if they’ll carry that momentum into the brand new season, Hamilton may have a steady, balanced automobile that may battle for high positions. It can then be as much as him to maximise that potential and benefit from the pace obtainable. 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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