Lewis Hamilton, the renowned seven-time World Champion, is embarking on a new chapter in his illustrious career by joining Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season. The 40-year-old driver has been preparing for this highly anticipated move for months, as he transitions into his role at the Scuderia, one of the most successful teams in Formula 1 history.
After almost a year of anticipation, The British driver’s lifelong dream of driving for Ferrari has finally come true. The Brit’s first official opportunity to familiarize himself with the SF-25 came during pre-season testing in Bahrain, where he took to the track to fine-tune his skills with his new challenger. Hamilton’s first taste of the Ferrari was in Fiorano, where he participated in a shakedown session before heading to the Sakhir International Circuit for three full days of testing.
While Hamilton will not be able to compare directly with teammate Charles Leclerc due to track time restrictions, the testing period is crucial for the 40-year-old as he looks to adapt to his new car and setup. One of the key factors to address is the steering wheel, as Hamilton has not yet used his final version during his private tests. The Bahrain sessions will be essential for him to get comfortable with the car’s handling and systems ahead of the upcoming Formula 1 campaign.
Another important aspect of Hamilton’s preparations will be working closely with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami. The pairing marks a fresh start for Hamilton, who hopes to build a strong relationship with Adami similar to the one he shared with his long-time engineer Peter Bonnington at Mercedes.
Riccardo Adami is well-known in the F1 world for his successful tenure working with Sebastian Vettel during the German’s time at Ferrari, and later with Carlos Sainz. In a recent press conference at the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Lewis Hamilton shared that he has been studying Vettel’s approach at Ferrari, acknowledging that the German had a head start in terms of time at the Scuderia. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion revealed that his preparations are progressing as planned with Riccardo Adami, emphasizing that there is a strong exchange of information between them, which has been well reciprocated.
As the start of the 2025 season draws closer, Lewis Hamilton’s time with Ferrari and his close collaboration with Riccardo Adami will be key to determining how successfully he can adjust to the team and make the most of his new opportunity. With his focus on building the necessary rapport and mastering the intricacies of the SF-25, Hamilton’s journey at Ferrari has only just begun.
The British driver mentioned that he and his engineer were still learning how to communicate effectively. After every session, they would discuss the adjustments needed based on the information he provided and vice versa. He stated that everything was progressing as planned and that they couldn’t have made more progress given the short amount of time they had.
He also shared that he had been studying the preparation methods of previous great drivers, like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, who started much earlier in November. Despite the limited time available, Hamilton felt that they had accomplished a lot, noting that the information exchange between him and his engineer had been very positive and reciprocal.
Lewis Hamilton Has Already Outpaced Ferrari’s 2024 Test Time in Bahrain
Although it’s still early in the pre-season testing, and lap times can be deceptive, Lewis Hamilton has shown a strong level of comfort with Ferrari’s SF-25 at the Bahrain circuit. On the second day of testing, Hamilton topped the time sheets during the morning session before being surpassed by Carlos Sainz, who drove for Williams. However, Hamilton’s lap time remained quicker than the Spaniard’s 2024 testing time, signaling that Ferrari has made significant progress.
Toto Wolff, who no longer has the seven-time champion at Mercedes since Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari, expressed admiration for Hamilton’s performance, stating that he has been “very impressive” during the early testing sessions. This shift for Hamilton, moving from the Silver Arrows to the Scuderia, is already showing signs of potential, despite the team’s new setup and changes.
One of the most talked-about aspects of Ferrari’s 2024 car is the aggressive redesign of the front suspension and the new sidepod design, which has been hailed as “hugely influential.” These modifications have certainly caught the attention of the F1 paddock, and early reports indicate that Ferrari’s changes have already made a notable impact on their performance.
For Lewis Hamilton, the improvement from the Italian side is a major confidence booster as he prepares for a fresh challenge. With his eyes set on securing his eighth World Championship, the early signs suggest that Ferrari is on the right path, making Hamilton’s move to Maranello look even more promising.
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