Lewis Hamilton Begins New Era with Ferrari

Cataleya

January 21, 2025 · 1 min read

Lewis Hamilton Begins New Era with Ferrari
Moto-GP | January 21, 2025
Lewis Hamilton secured his most recent world title in 2020, bringing his total to seven championships. (Image: Ferrari)

Lewis Hamilton has described his first official day at Ferrari as a dream come true, marking the start of a new chapter in his career. The seven-time world champion began his preparations for the 2025 season at Ferrari’s Maranello factory where he was welcomed by team boss Frederic Vasseur and CEO Benedetto Vigna. Hamilton, 40, signed with Ferrari in January 2024 but due to commitments to Mercedes, this was his first opportunity to fully engage with the team.

Hamilton shared his excitement on Instagram, reflecting on his long-held dream of racing for Ferrari, saying, “I’ve been lucky enough to achieve things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red.” He added, “Today we start a new era in the history of this iconic team.” On his first day, Hamilton toured the Ferrari headquarters including the Fiorano house and pit garage with Vasseur and Vigna.

He also met with key team members and took part in an immersion program to familiarize himself with the various departments. Over the coming days, Hamilton will continue his technical meetings and preparations, including driving a 2023 Ferrari F1 car at the Fiorano test track and later in Barcelona. This will be his first experience driving a car without a Mercedes engine, marking a significant transition after 18 years with the German team.

Lewis Hamilton faces a tight timeline to adapt to Ferrari’s car, with official pre-season testing in Bahrain scheduled for 26-28 February. He will share the test days with teammate Charles Leclerc ahead of the season opener in Australia on 14-16 March. Despite the challenges, Ferrari’s Vasseur is confident Hamilton’s vast experience will help him quickly adjust.