Lewis Hamilton, Formula One’s most successful driver of all time, waved to a crowd of waiting fans as he drove a Ferrari racing car for the first time since joining the Italian team for the 2025 season.
Hamilton was behind the wheel of a 2023-specification Ferrari SF-23 bearing his racing number, 44, at the team’s Fiorano test track on Wednesday. He wore a new helmet design in yellow with a prominent Prancing Horse logo. The 40-year-old British driver set out for his first lap at 9:16 AM local time in light fog and twice waved to about 1,000 spectators, who had gathered on a nearby bridge, braving the cold and wet weather.
After spending 12 years with Mercedes, where he captured six of his seven world titles, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari fulfills what he has called his childhood dream. He expressed, "I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to the dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realize my dream today," he said upon arriving at Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters on Monday.
Undoubtedly, Hamilton's debut with Ferrari is monumental, especially considering the tightly restricted testing conditions F1 enforces for current-specification cars. While teams have limited opportunities to test these new models, regulations are more lenient for older vehicles like the SF-23, which Hamilton drove on Wednesday. This test run is part of Ferrari's efforts to get Hamilton acclimated to his new environment as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Ferrari confirmed Hamilton left the Fiorano garage at 09:16 CET, taking his initial laps amid enthusiastic support from fans. The grey, cool morning did little to dampen the excitement as guests at the circuit witnessed the former Mercedes driver make his mark for the Scuderia.
Central to Hamilton's transition is his camaraderie with fellow driver Charles Leclerc. The duo aims to dismantle Ferrari's lengthy wait for a driver’s championship, having last won one back in 2007. Observers are eagerly watching this pair, hoping they can bring the revered Prancing Horse back to the forefront of Formula One racing.
Following meetings with team heads, introductions to Ferrari employees, and tours of their historic factory buildings, Hamilton's immersion program has unfolded perfectly, culminating dramatically with his first laps on track.
Combatting doubts, Hamilton appears well-prepared to tackle the monumental change after partnering with his former fitness coach, Angela Cullen, who is joining him for this exciting new chapter. The seven-time world champion is breaking new ground, illustrating how major changes can reinvigorate storied careers.
With official preseason testing for new cars set to start on February 26 and continuing through February 28, anticipation is burgeoning. The first race of the 2025 season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for March 14 to 16, where Hamilton and Ferrari will seek to prove their mettle against the fierce competition.
There’s no denying the stakes are high for Hamilton and his new team. The experienced driver carries both the hopes of Ferrari fans and tangible expectations as he embarks on this thrilling venture. Given Hamilton's track record, all eyes will be transfixed on how he channels his legendary prowess within the iconic red car.