Lewis Hamilton “incredibly grateful to John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna, Fred Vasseur and everyone at Ferrari”. Day 1 at Maranello for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton with the F40
Lewis Hamilton’s journey as a Scuderia Ferrari driver has officially begun. The seven-time world champion has waited nearly a year since the announcement on February 1, 2024, of his agreement with the Prancing Horse, and today he posed with another automotive icon, the Ferrari F40 (more photos from Maranello are expected later in the day, possibly featuring other cars that have shaped Ferrari’s history).

The Maranello team issued an initial official statement with Lewis Hamilton’s first words “in red”: “There are days you know you’ll remember forever. Today, my first as a Scuderia Ferrari HP driver, is certainly one of those. In my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve milestones I never thought possible, but a part of me has always held onto the dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier today as that dream comes true. I am incredibly grateful to John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna, Fred Vasseur, and everyone at Ferrari for the trust they have placed in me and for making me part of this family. I am excited to begin this new era and start working with a group of talented people who are a great source of inspiration for me. I will dedicate myself fully to the team, the company, and the fans. Today, we begin a new chapter in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to see the pages we will write together.” – the former Mercedes driver pointed out.

Lewis Hamilton’s exploration of the Red Planet includes a first track session on Wednesday at Fiorano, followed by a trip to Barcelona for another test on a circuit renowned for exposing a car’s strengths and weaknesses (Lewis Hamilton will, of course, drive a Ferrari that is at least two years old, either the SF-23 from 2023 or the F1-75 from 2022).