Hamilton's Ferrari debut: "One of the best feelings of my life"

Dominika Jordan
Jan 22, 2025, 04:37 PM ET

Maranello, Italy – Lewis Hamilton has described his initial experience behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car as "one of the best feelings of my life" after making his official track debut with his new team at the Fiorano test track on Wednesday.

Hamilton, who completed 30 laps at the Fiorano circuit, was greeted by fans watching from the Giardini overpass.

Although the day began with thick fog and wet conditions, Hamilton found the experience unparalleled in his F1 career.

"I've been lucky enough to have many firsts in my career, from the first test to the first race, podium, win and championship, so I wasn't sure how many more firsts I had, but driving a Scuderia Ferrari HP car for the first time this morning was one of the best feelings of my life," said Hamilton.

"When I started the car up and drove through that garage door, I had the biggest smile on my face. It reminded me of the very first time I tested a Formula 1 car, it was such an exciting and special moment, and here I am, almost 20 years later, feeling those emotions all over again."

In compliance with F1's testing regulations, Hamilton drove a two-year-old car and left the garage at 9:16 a.m. local time for a single installation lap on wet tires. Sporting a yellow helmet reminiscent of the early stages of his career, Hamilton was joined by family members including his father Anthony, mother Carmen, and stepmother Linda. Adding to the occasion, Piero Ferrari, the son of Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari, was also present.

For his second run, Hamilton switched to slick tires and completed a series of flying laps, practice starts, and system checks in the SF-23 car. Ferrari limited his total distance to 89 kilometers, mindful of the 2025 rule that restricts testing of previous cars to 1,000 kilometers per year for championship drivers.

After completing his session, Hamilton debriefed with his new engineering team, which includes Riccardo Adami, his race engineer for 2025. Adami had previously engineered the driver Hamilton is replacing, Carlos Sainz.

Wrapping up his day's duties, Hamilton took a moment to wave to fans who had come to witness his first laps in a Ferrari.

"I already knew from the outside how passionate the Ferrari family is, from everyone in the team to the Tifosi!" Hamilton remarked. "But 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. I'm so grateful for the love I have felt from everyone in Maranello this week, we have a lot of work to do but I can't wait to get started."

Hamilton's new teammate, Charles Leclerc, was also present and completed 14 laps in the same car.

Team principal Fred Vasseur expressed satisfaction with the day's outcome despite the less-than-ideal weather conditions.

"As is the case every year, the first time you go out on track is a bit like the first day back at school and quite an emotional feeling, especially today as it was Lewis' first day as part of the team," Vasseur said. "Welcoming a new driver is always an important moment. Maybe today was less special for Charles, but it was good to see him fit, relaxed and keen to go racing again."

"As for the technical side, Charles and Lewis did their laps in not the best weather, but they got back in the swing of things and immersed themselves in the track environment prior to the first proper test in a month's time in Bahrain," he added. "It was also a warmup for the team in the garage. That was the sole purpose of today.”