Lewis Hamilton emotional ahead of Ferrari debut at Imola

Lewis Hamilton emotional ahead of Ferrari debut at Imola | 2025 F1 Emilia Romagna GP. Lewis Hamilton shares his emotions ahead of his first race at Imola as a Ferrari driver.

The first few months at Ferrari have certainly not been what Lewis Hamilton expected, given the difficulties shown by the SF-25 in the weekends leading up to Imola. The Maranello car, except for the number 44’s victory in the Shanghai Sprint Race, has never truly shown it can fight with those who were expected to be its rivals.

The Prancing Horse’s latest single-seater seems to struggle especially in qualifying, where it lacks one-lap pace. In the race, both Hamilton and Leclerc are often able to recover positions, thanks to a very competitive race pace and limited tyre degradation.

Lewis Hamilton’s emotion ahead of Imola
A few days before the Imola weekend, Ferrari published a video in which Lewis Hamilton describes what it means to race in Italy wearing the Prancing Horse’s suit. “I really feel the passion, the support, and the desire to win from every person who becomes part of Ferrari. It’s something I’ve never experienced before. Coming to Italy for the first time as a Ferrari driver makes me both nervous and eager to get on track. For the team, it’s the home race and I can’t wait to find out what it means to race here wearing the red suit. Thank you for the welcome you’ve given me in these months. I’m extremely honored to be part of this family and I’m working really hard to bring home the results this team deserves. I won’t give up until I’ve managed to do it,” said Lewis Hamilton in the video.

Fans hope to see at least one of the two SF-25s on the podium at the circuit dedicated to Enzo and Dino Ferrari, although they will have to beat tough rivals. McLaren once again seems to be the favorite, with Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes ready to battle for the top positions.