At the end of his first day at the wheel of the SF-26, Lewis Hamilton revealed his initial impressions of Ferrari’s new single-seater.
Already last year, during the presentation of the new car, he had experienced what such a moment feels like. For this reason, Lewis Hamilton already knew what to expect on the day that officially opened Ferrari’s 2026 season, with the Scuderia called upon to respond to the challenge posed by the new technical regulations.
After a debut season full of difficulties, the Maranello-based team and the seven-time world champion are determined to give real meaning to what many have described as the “marriage of the century”, often seen as a guarantee of success. This was underlined by car number 44 himself in his first words given shortly after the presentation. “I honestly can’t really find the words to express my emotion. Last night I slept very little because I knew today would be the big day. Seeing the car take shape, being in the garage and watching everyone arrive was exciting. You see the result of all the hard work that everyone has put in,” Lewis Hamilton said.
The love for the Tifosi and the uniqueness of Fiorano
The former Mercedes driver then spoke about how special it is to be at Fiorano on occasions like this. “The fact that I was the first to be able to drive the car is a huge privilege and an enormous honour. This year I’m no longer surrounded only by red, because there is white as well, and it’s a different feeling considering that I’ve always dreamed of being in a red car. But the car is beautiful. And then there’s the opening of the garage and heading towards Turn 1. The first time you arrive at Turn 1 you see the Tifosi. It’s a really, really emotional experience. Everything feels new, like a fresh start. Straight away you try to get comfortable, to feel everything: the sensations coming through your body, the steering wheel, the vibrations from the seat and the suspension. You try to pick up all these small pieces of information in the little time you have. And then being at Fiorano, being at Ferrari, being here…”
“Turn 1 is the point where you see the crowd, but even in the final corner you can see some people on the right. I’ve been racing for a very long time, but I’ve never experienced anything like this with any other team. There have never been fans at tests at this time of year, especially during a launch. Here instead it’s like sharing something: it’s like living the first experience together. In other years, with other teams, you were on track and obviously you shared the experience with the team, but there weren’t fans there with you along the way. Having the fans here, present from this morning… I opened the door very early and they were already there from six or seven in the morning. Seeing them waving flags and feeling their emotion is a truly special start. For them as well, it’s a unique moment. I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I love what I do more than anything else. I really, really love this team. I love the fans we have. And being able to still do this, to continue doing what I feel I was born to do, is an enormous privilege.”
The importance of the Barcelona tests
Ferrari will now move to Barcelona for the three days of closed-door testing made available by the FIA. This is a very important phase that comes before the official Bahrain tests, where we will begin to understand much more about the new cars. “We know that this is the beginning of a long journey. I feel that the team is in the best possible moment and, from the time I’ve spent here, seeing how motivated and determined everyone is, I think we are already on the right path. We still have a lot of work to do to make sure we carry out all the necessary checks, truly understand this car, and be quick to react, very dynamic. But I feel that we are all involved, all ready, so I’m confident that we’ll get there.”
“Next week will be all about discovery: we need to do as many laps as possible and learn a huge amount. Even though it seems like we have more testing, in reality everything is very compressed: it’s only three days, no more. We have to pack an enormous amount of work into those nine days that we have. I’m excited to go to Barcelona, the weather should be good. I’m simply happy to be making this journey together with everyone here. Everyone arrives with positive energy. It’s an emotional journey: we are sharing this life, this moment in life together. It’s something unique, powerful and truly special,” Lewis Hamilton added.
Lewis Hamilton’s emotional debut in the Ferrari SF-26 at Fiorano underscores a deep-seated connection between the legendary driver and the Tifosi, marking what he describes as a powerful “new beginning.” As the team prepares for the rigorous discovery phase in Barcelona, Hamilton’s confidence in the squad’s motivation suggests that Ferrari is entering the 2026 era with the technical focus and emotional drive needed to fight at the very front of the grid.
Leave a Reply