A new era for Formula 1 officially began on Wednesday when Lewis Hamilton got behind the wheel of a Ferrari for the first time.
The Briton announced he would be joining the Scuderia last February and officially presented himself as a Ferrari driver earlier this week.
On Wednesday, the seven-time world champion had his first driving experience for the historic Italian marque, logging miles in one of the 2023 cars at Ferrari’s control track in Fiorano near Modena.
Hamilton, who won six world championships in 11 seasons with Mercedes, described it as one of the moments of his 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,” he said.
“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.
“When I got in the car and walked through the garage door, I had the biggest smile on my face,” he added.
“It reminded me of the first time I tried a Formula 1 car, it was such an exciting and special moment, and here I am, almost 20 years later, feeling those sensations again. “
Hamilton had spent the last two days racing his new car at the Ferrari factory in Maranello with new teammate Charles Leclerc, before completing 30 laps on Wednesday.
As per Formula 1’s regulations, the 40-year-old was limited to drive up to 1,000km (621 miles) while testing a car that has already been used in races.
While testing a two-year-old car in late January will have a limited impact on the upcoming season, it gave Hamilton the chance to get acquainted with some key features.
During his 18-year Formula 1 career, the seven-time world champion drove cars with Mercedes engines, first at McLaren and then at Mercedes.
While Ferrari uses the same 1. 6-liter V6 turbo hybrid engines as its competitors, the controls that manage the complex recovery systems are different for each team.
Similarly, the test will have allowed Hamilton to establish at least an embryonic relationship with his new race engineer Riccardo Adami.
The Italian worked with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel before racing engineer Carlos Sainz for the past four seasons.
Hamilton, meanwhile, has spent the last 12 years racing alongside Peter Bonnigton, describing the Mercedes racing engineer as a “brother”.
And the mere sight of Hamilton driving a Ferrari felt like a major moment for the sport after what is one of the biggest driver moves in history.
Were Hamilton to win the drivers’ championship, he would move one clear of the seven world titles record he currently shares with Michael Schumacher.
The German won his first two world crowns with Benetton, before claiming five in a row with Ferrari between 2000 and 2004.
The Scuderia finished last season as the second-fastest car on the McLaren grid and narrowly missed out on their first constructors’ championship in 16 years as they finished just 14 editions with the Papaya.
Speaking last month, Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur said Hamilton’s first six weeks in the Ferrari would be “critical” for his first season in red.
And Hamilton acknowledged there was a “lot of work” to do at Maranello, but suggested Ferrari’s notoriously passionate fans would provide extra motivation.
Many enthusiasts braved the wintery outdoor situations at Fiorano on Wednesday to see the Briton dressed in Ferrari colors for the first time.
“I already knew from the outside how passionate the Ferrari family circle is, from all the team members to the tifosi,” he said.
“But witnessing it now as a Ferrari driver has been impressive.
“That passion runs through their veins and you can’t help but be energised 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 will make his official Ferrari debut in pre-season testing in Bahrain between February 26 and 28, ahead of the season-opener in Australia on March 16, when the Briton begins his quest for a record eighth world title.
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