“This is the one!”
Lewis Hamilton exclaimed with excitement as he walked among the road cars in the ‘heritage section’ of Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello, Italy.
Spotting a bright red Ferrari F40, one of the rarest of the manufacturer’s road cars in the middle of the floor, Hamilton paused. Spreading his hands across the rear spoiler, a smile engulfed his face. He had found his favorite.
It was this kind of wonder that Hamilton, a seven-time world champion who has seen and won it all in Formula One, sought when he decided to make the move to Ferrari. For all the success he enjoyed with Mercedes, nothing could match the history and the magic of F1’s most iconic team.
The dream he had cherished since childhood, of becoming a Ferrari driver, had finally materialized.
Day one at Maranello had been almost a year in the making for Hamilton. After announcing his shocking decision to leave Mercedes after 12 seasons, he endured a difficult and occasionally awkward final year. While closing that chapter in Abu Dhabi was emotional, Hamilton knew it was the beginning of something new and exciting.
To mark the start of this era, bringing together F1’s most successful driver and most successful team, every detail had to be meticulously planned. Ferrari F1 team principal Fred Vasseur hesitated to have a big presentation or media event, not wanting to add any additional work or distraction amid the team’s preparations for the new season.
Yet, they wanted Hamilton’s first week at Maranello to be memorable.
The F40 housed in the ‘old’ side of Ferrari’s factory, which is split between the historic yellow buildings and walls and the ‘new’ red side, was wheeled through the Italian drizzle to the Piazza Michael Schumacher, named after the legendary driver who won five of his seven F1 titles for Ferrari. On it stands the house of Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the manufacturer who watched many legends sample his red cars from the window. History lies at every turn in Maranello.
Hamilton met with Vasseur and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna before posing for photos next to the house with the F40. His outfit for the day had been meticulously planned by his stylist, Eric McNeal, right down to his red-soled Louboutin boots. The first official pictures of Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari F1 driver, quickly went viral and became the most-liked photo on F1’s Instagram page in less than 24 hours, gracing the front pages of Italian sports newspapers the next morning.
Hamilton also took the time to visit the fans, Ferrari’s loyal tifosi, who had gathered outside the factory gates at Maranello since the early morning hours, eager to catch a glimpse of their new hero on his first day.
Having built a strong bond with his fans, known as ‘Team LH,’ during his time at McLaren and Mercedes, Hamilton aims to rekindle that connection at Ferrari.
“I’m really looking forward to connecting with that community, even though I don’t know what to expect,” Hamilton said in a press conference last August. Spending a few minutes with fans for photos and signatures as they chanted his name was a good first step. It turned Ferrari president John Elkann into a bystander, one of the key figures in signing Hamilton and possibly the most powerful figure at Ferrari.
2025 holds immense significance for both Ferrari and Hamilton. Ferrari narrowly missed out on its first constructors’ championship since 2008 by just 14 points, while Hamilton is still chasing his record-breaking eighth world title. His struggles with the Mercedes car throughout 2024, trailing behind teammate George Russell, made it a season of challenges. Overcoming that slump and proving he still possesses the edge that once made him nearly unbeatable in F1 is crucial with this move.
Thus, Hamilton’s time spent getting to know his new colleagues through factory tours and subsequent meetings on Monday and Tuesday was vital. At Mercedes, Hamilton always drew strength from the close relationships with his teammates, especially his race engineer, Peter Bonnington. Taking over that role will be Riccardo Adami, who previously worked with Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel and will now be Hamilton’s voice during races.
Ferrari had planned Hamilton’s first on-track outing behind the wheel of its 2023 car for Wednesday at its private test track, Fiorano, which is adjacent to the factory. However, it was dependent on weather conditions, making it challenging to predict in the cold January weather in northern Italy.
The preparations on Monday and Tuesday included a seat fitting and a session in Ferrari’s simulator, giving Hamilton a taste, albeit virtually, of how his new car would handle. One of his main struggles in 2024 was feeling confident and balanced with the car, especially under braking due to his late, aggressive driving style. Hamilton often failed to push the car to its limits over a single lap. The simulator provided an initial insight into what he could expect from the Ferrari this year, even though nothing compares to the real experience.
For this year, Hamilton has adopted a new race helmet design returning to the yellow he first used as a child in go-karts, allowing his father, Anthony, to easily spot him on the track. Images of the helmet and Hamilton in the classic red Ferrari race suit for the first time were shared with the world, building anticipation before his first on-track session. The only requirement was for the weather to cooperate.
Driving a two-year-old F1 car on a misty, cold day around a short test circuit may not seem like a special moment, but for Hamilton, it was a day he had dreamed of since playing as Michael Schumacher in video games as a teenager, wondering what it would be like to be in the cockpit of the red car someday.
Just as it was for Schumacher at Fiorano at the end of 1995 before moving to Ferrari the following season, Hamilton’s first outing was understated yet poignant. After changing into his new red race suit at Enzo Ferrari’s house, Hamilton walked over to the modest garage set up next to the track, not much larger than a gas station forecourt (branded like one thanks to team partner Shell), and was welcomed by his team. As the engineers went through the procedures, Hamilton took notes in a small notebook.
Among the new faces in Ferrari gear for Hamilton to familiarize with, a few held a special place, including his dad Anthony. Vasseur and Hamilton had worked together in junior categories and always maintained a friendly relationship, paving the way for their reunion nearly 20 years later. Jerome d’Ambrosio, the deputy team principal, and Loic Serra, the chassis technical director, had both worked at Mercedes during Hamilton’s time there.
However, the most essential and surprising returnee was Angela Cullen, Hamilton’s former trainer and performance coach.
Hamilton and Cullen had worked together for seven years before suddenly splitting just two races into the 2023 season. Cullen had been a crucial part of Hamilton’s inner circle, overseeing his physical training and preparing him for races. After a year in IndyCar, Cullen is back with Hamilton’s team as part of Project 44, his management company overseeing his business interests. Hamilton finds comfort in having Cullen back, providing a sense of familiarity amid the significant adjustment of joining a new team.
At 9:16 a.m., Hamilton made his way out of the garage and onto the track. Finally, he was a Ferrari F1 driver. Fans and TV cameras gathered at various vantage points overlooking Fiorano, including a bridge next to a busy road, to catch a glimpse of the #44 emblazoned on the Ferrari, showcasing their unwavering support for the tifosi.
Testing an old car may not provide precise insights into how the new season will unfold, but it allowed Hamilton to adapt to Ferrari’s operations. The SF-23 car, the only non-Red Bull winner in 2023, provided a first look at the power delivery of the Ferrari engine and the functions of the steering wheel, different from what Hamilton was accustomed to at Mercedes.
Hamilton managed only 30 laps through a few runs in the morning, completing an installation run on wet tires before switching to slicks. Images showed him locking up at times, but speed and performance were not the focus. With race drivers limited to 1,000km of private test running in old cars through the year, Hamilton’s 89km run, followed by teammate Charles Leclerc’s 42km run in the afternoon, leaves ample opportunity for more preparation ahead of the upcoming season. Another session is scheduled for Hamilton in Barcelona in the following weeks before his first run in the 2025 car on February 19 at Fiorano, one day after the F1 season launch event at The O2 in London.
Despite the limited running and unfavorable weather, Hamilton described his Ferrari debut as “one of the best feelings of my life.”
Upon completing his run, he was driven in a black Alfa Romeo road car to wave at the numerous fans behind one of the fences. His mother, Carmen, stood taking photos with her phone, savoring the moment of watching her son in Ferrari red for the first time. Hamilton couldn’t help but smile at the chants of, “Olé!, olé, olé, olé! Lewis, Lewis!” that greeted him, instantly endearing him to the tifosi.
“I already knew from the outside how passionate the Ferrari family is, from everyone in the team to the tifosi,” Hamilton remarked. “To now witness it firsthand as a Ferrari driver has been awe-inspiring. That passion runs through their veins, and you can’t help but be energized by it.”
Ferrari struck a perfect balance, creating a ‘moment’ for Hamilton’s arrival without detracting from the primary focus on performance. The importance of this year for Ferrari is paramount, following a 2024 season that was a near-miss but also marked by significant momentum that has ignited hopes at the right moment. While public acknowledgments of the new beginning were evident this week, the behind-the-scenes work and adjustments were the key focus for Hamilton.
This week reignited Hamilton’s love and passion for F1. Despite his dedication to the Mercedes project, the on-track challenges caused his enthusiasm to waver.
This transition to a new, ambitious project, one that carries the weight of an expectant fanbase, a nation’s sporting pride, and the history of those who have succeeded before in Ferrari red, is exactly what Hamilton needed.
Now, the emphasis is on working hard to make the adjustment as seamless as possible before his full debut in Australia on March 16, marking the beginning of his Ferrari era.
Top photo: Clive Rose, Alessandro Bremec via Getty Images; Design: Will Tullos/The Athletic