Lewis Hamilton embraces Ferrari red as new F1 era begins
Lewis Hamilton has embraced the iconic scarlet red of Ferrari as he embarks on a new chapter in his illustrious Formula 1 career.
The much-anticipated partnership between Hamilton, one of the sport's most successful drivers, and Ferrari, the most storied team in F1 history, officially began on Wednesday. Hamilton joins Ferrari on a two-year deal after a successful stint at Mercedes, where he claimed six of his seven World Drivers' Championships.
Though Hamilton won't officially drive a Ferrari until pre-season testing kicks off on February 26, he wasted no time in marking the new era by sharing photos of himself in red on Instagram. Among the images posted was a childhood snapshot of Hamilton go-karting with his iconic racing number 44, featuring a red helmet. He also shared a more recent photo of himself in a red ski jacket, further symbolizing his new beginning.
Ferrari celebrated the commencement of their collaboration with Hamilton through synchronized posts at 16:44, reflecting the driver numbers of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton. The Englishman steps into the seat vacated by Carlos Sainz, who is making the switch to Williams after an impressive four-year stint with Ferrari alongside Leclerc.
Hamilton's 2024 season was a challenging one by his own high standards. Despite ending a two-year race win drought, he finished seventh in the championship, marking a career low. However, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur is confident about Hamilton's integration into the team despite the limited pre-season testing period.
Read next ❯ Ferrari to reveal Hamilton's debut F1 car on February 19 at Maranello"It's always a challenge, starting from the beginning of January until the launch of the season," Vasseur remarked in December. "It means that for sure it's critical that you have only six weeks [before preseason testing], it's not easy. But I think he's also coming with his own experience. He's not the rookie of the year. It means that I'm not worried at all about this."
Vasseur added, "It's also the continuity of the previous [technical] regulations [from 2024] and so that means for us, we have some reference. I'm not worried, but it's true that it's a challenge."
After the conclusion of pre-season testing on February 28, the 2025 F1 season will kick off with the Australian Grand Prix on March 16. Approaching his 40th birthday in January, Hamilton will be aiming to add to his 105 race victories and record-equalling seven drivers' titles, as Ferrari seeks its first championship since 2008.
