Lewis Hamilton has officially started his highly anticipated Ferrari chapter, making his first visit to the iconic Maranello headquarters ahead of his debut run in the F1-75 at Fiorano Circuit on January 22. The seven-time world champion, who spent the last 12 years at Mercedes, joins Charles Leclerc at Scuderia Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Hamilton arrived at Ferrari’s base on Monday to familiarize himself with his new surroundings and establish connections with the team. This included an introduction to his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, who previously worked alongside Carlos Sainz. The Briton also had his new seat fitted and requested specific adjustments to the steering wheel to match his driving preferences.
Hamilton’s day at Maranello included his first run in Ferrari’s state-of-the-art simulator, allowing him to acclimate to the F1-75’s characteristics and gain early insights into the car’s performance. The preparation continues Tuesday, as he finalizes his setup for his maiden on-track test in the famous Ferrari red.
In a heartfelt social media post, Hamilton shared his emotions:
“There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever, and today, my first as a Ferrari driver, is one of those days. I’ve been lucky enough to achieve things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realize that dream today.
“Today, we start a new era in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to see what story we will write together.”
Hamilton’s arrival has sent a wave of excitement through Ferrari’s passionate tifosi. Local reports suggest hotels in nearby Sassuolo are fully booked in anticipation of the debut, prompting Maranello’s mayor, Luigi Zironi, to request enhanced traffic and security measures around the factory and track.
The Fiorano test will mark the beginning of Ferrari’s use of its 1,000 km allocation for ‘Testing of Previous Cars’ under Formula 1’s sporting regulations. This opportunity provides valuable track time for Hamilton and Leclerc ahead of the 2025 season.
Hamilton and Leclerc will share the Fiorano track on Wednesday before conducting additional testing later this month at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Those plans, however, remain subject to confirmation.
With Hamilton donning the Ferrari red for the first time, a new chapter begins for the Maranello-based team as they aim to return to championship contention with one of Formula 1’s most decorated drivers at the helm.
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