“This is one!”
Lewis Hamilton was unable to hide his enthusiasm as he walks between the road cars in the “Heritage Department” at the Ferrari headquarters in Maranelo, Italy.
When he saw a bright red F40, one of the rarest roads produced by the manufacturer, in the middle of the floor, temporarily stopped. He extended his hands on the back wing, and a smile was drawn on his face. He found his favorite.
This type of wonder was what Hamilton, the seven -time world champion who witnessed everything and won everything in Formula 1, sought when he decided to move to Ferrari. Despite all his success with Mercedes, nothing can match history and magic F1The most famous team.
The moment he dreamed of since childhood, that a Ferrari driver had finally arrived.
The first day in Maranilo took almost a year for Hamilton. since He announced his shocking decision to withdraw from Mercedes After 12 seasons, he suffered from the last difficult year, and with his own confession, sometimes it is embarrassing. Closing this chapter in Abu Dhabi Maybe it was emotionalHowever, Hamilton realized that he gave way to something new and exciting.
To celebrate the beginning of this era, unifying the most successful driver in Formula 1 and the most successful team, it was necessary to plan all the details accurately. Ferrari 1 manager, Farid Vaswour, was hesitant to hold a major presentation or media event, because he did not want to add any additional work or distract the team’s attention amid his preparations for the new season.
But it had to make the first week of Malamelton in Maranilo unforgettable.
The F40 is transported on the “old” side of the Ferrari Factory – the main headquarters divided between the historical part of the facility, which is characterized by its yellow buildings and walls, and the new “new” side in red – via Italian spray to Michael Schumacher Square, which was named after the Great name He won five of his seven titles in Formula 1 with Ferrari. There is an Enzo Ferrari house, the founder of the legendary manufacturer who saw many myths testing its red cars from the window. History exists wherever you go in Maranilo.
Hamilton met with Vasuor and CEO of Ferrari Benedeto Veget before taking pictures outside the house next to F40. Even Hamilton’s clothes for this day were carefully planned by his designer, Eric Maccil, to the red lobotin shoes. Soon the first official photos of Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari F1 driver, and the most liked image on the F1 page on Instagram became less than 24 hours, in addition to appearing on all the first pages of Italian sports newspapers the next morning.
The image of Hamilton’s arrival spread widely and topped news headlines around the world – especially in Italy. (Clav Rose / Getty Emagis)
Hamilton has also allocated some time to visit the fans, the Savior Tivose to Ferrari, who gathered outside the factory gates in Maranilo since the early morning hours, in a desperate attempt to look at their new hero on his first day.
While he was in McLaren and Mercedes, Hamilton had a strong relationship with his fans (known as “LH”) and wants to revive this type of relationship in Ferrari.
“I don’t really know what I expect, but I am really looking to communicate with this community,” Hamilton said at a press conference last August. He spent a few minutes with fans to take pictures and make signatures chanting his name as a good first gesture. This was created by a spectator of Ferrari John Elcan, one of the main brokers in contracting with Hamilton and perhaps the most powerful figure in Ferrari.
Many depend on the year 2025 for both Ferrari and Hamilton. Ferrari failed to win the first manufacturers championship since 2008 by only 14 points, while Hamilton is still looking for an eighth world title to break the record. His struggles with the Mercedes car until 2024 led to a season of underdevelopment of his colleague George Russell. Getting rid of this feeling of panic and proving that it still has the advantage that it made it almost impossible to overcome it at the height of his strength in Formula 1 is an important part of this step.
This has made Hamilton’s time to get to know his new colleagues through a factory tour and subsequent meetings on Monday and Tuesday. Hamilton always derives his strength from his close relationship with his Mercedes teammates, especially with racing engineer Peter Bonington who likened him to his brother. This role will take over Ricardo Adami, who was the Spanish engineer Carlos Sainz (nicknamed the Adam of “Ricky”) in addition to the world champion four times Sebastian Vettel, and will now be the sound at the end of the radio for Hamilton through races.
Hamilton is preparing for his first test in Firano. (Ferrari)
Ferrari planned for the first picnic for Hamilton on the right track behind the wheel of its 2023 car on Wednesday in its test track, Fiurano, adjacent to the factory. But it has always relied on the weather, making it difficult to predict in the depths of January in northern Italy.
During Monday and Tuesday, preparations included installing seats and testing a Ferrari simulation device, which gave Hamilton an opportunity to feel, at least virtual, how to perform his new car. One of the biggest difficulties he faced during the year 2024 was the feeling of confidence and balance with the car,, Especially in light of the arrogance of its late aggressive style. During one roll, Hamilton often failed to achieve the maximum benefit of the car. The simulation device will have given at least a first reading of what Ferrari can expect this year, even if there is nothing compared to the real thing.
The design of this year’s new race, the yellow that he used for the first time when he was a child in small karting cars to allow his father Anthony to easily monitor him on the path. The helmet shots, as well as Hamilton, wearing the classic Ferrari Race suit for the first time, were shared with the world, which sparked excitement before his first race on the right track. All that is required is to play the ball.
Driving Formula 1 is two -year -old on a foggy and cold day around a short testing circuit that may not have a special moment, but for Hilmon, this was the day he had dreamed of since he played Michael Schumacher in video games. When I was a teenager, I was wondering how it would be when you were in the cockpit for the red car one day.
Just as was the case for Rumacher in Fioreno at the end of 1995 before moving to Ferrari for the next season, Hamilton’s first picnic was simple and influential at the same time. After Hamilton wore the new red race suit at Enzo Ferrari’s house, Hamilton walked to the simple garage adjacent to the track, whose size is no more than a front yard of a fuel station (and was classified as one, thanks to the team partner Shell) and was welcomed by his team. a team. While engineers performed operations, Hamilton blocked the things to be remembered in a small notebook.
The Hamilton and Ferrari crew arrived at Earth this week (Ferrari)
There were a number of new faces in the Ferrari equipment for Hamilton, but a few of them continued with additional interest, including Father Anthony. Vasuor worked with Hamilton in the junior categories and remained always friendly, which paved the way for them to reunite after almost 20 years. Jerome Damberosio, the team’s vice manager, and Luke Serra, the coach of the structure, were working in Mercedes when Hamilton was there.
But perhaps the most important and surprising return was Angela Coleen, former Hamilton coach and performance coach.
Hamilton and Collin worked together for seven years Before dividing two races only suddenly into the 2023 season. Colin was an essential part of the inner circle of Hillton, as he supervised his physical preparations and helped him before races. She spent last year at Indycar, but she is now returning to Hamilton after signing with Project 44, his administration company that takes care of his commercial interests. Her return is important for Hamilton, who will feel comfortable after he gained some knowledge during the great amendment period that comes as he joined a new team.
At 9:16 am, Hamilton came out of the garage to the path. Finally, the Ferrari F1 driver became. Fans and TV cameras gathered in two sites overlooking Firano to take a look at the famous 44 decorative car on a Ferrari, including one on a bridge next to a crowded road. There is no very large length for the phosype.
The test of an old car was not to give Hamilton a lot regarding the exact readings of how the new season is running, but at least provided the opportunity to adapt to the way Ferrari works. The SF-23, the only winner from outside the 2023 Red Ball, provided a preliminary understanding of the power engine to the Ferrari engine and the wheel function, both of which will differ from what it used to in Mercedes.
Hamilton was able to complete only 30 rolls through a few runs in the morning, and completed the installation process on wet tires before switching to smooth tires, and there were pictures of him as he closed at points, yet it was never about speed or frank performance. The performance of the race drivers is limited to 1000 km of special tests in old cars throughout the year, which means that the Hamilton race for a distance of 89 km, followed by the race of his teammate Charles Lockerer for a distance of 42 km in the afternoon, leaving a big room for more before the new season. Hamilton is scheduled to take another tour in Barcelona in the coming weeks before his first participation in the 2025 car on February 19 in Firano, one day after the launching ceremony of the Formula 1 season in The O2 in London.
Neither the limited run nor the weather prevented him from being his first appearance with Ferrari, Hamilton said, “One of the best feelings in my life.”
Once his running was completed, he was transferred in the Alpha Romeo black car to go out and wave dozens of fans who stood behind a wall. His mother Carmen stood to take pictures on her phone. When she saw her son in the red red color for the first time, she drank at that moment. Hamilton could only smile on the chants of “Olé!”, Olé, Olé, Olé! Louis, Lewis! » Who received it. The Toshusi has already prepared for Hillton, and he immediately became their new hero.
“I have already known from the outside the passion of the Ferrari family, from every member of the team to TV,” said Hamilton. “Watch it now directly as a Ferrari driver was amazing. This passion applies to their veins and can only be active with it.”
Ferrari is perfectly balanced, which makes Hamilton’s arrival “a moment” without detracting from the focus that should be on its performance. It knows how important this year after the 2024 season, which will be an imminent failure, but also a great enlargement in the momentum that ignited hopes in time. As much as this week, general gestures of the new start, the scenes work and amendment was what really matters to Hamilton.
It is a week that will ignite a lot of Hillton’s love and passion for Formula 1. As much as he committed to the Mercedes project, even in the most difficult times, the difficulties of the path to extinguish the flame caused.
This change to a new and ambitious project, a project that carries the weight of the expected mass base, the sports pride of the nation and the history of those who came and succeeded before in Ferrari Red is exactly what Hamilton needs.
Now, it comes to serious work to make the modification as smooth as possible, before its first appearance in Australia began on March 16, the Ferrari era.
The upper image: Clav Rose, Alessandro Primic via Getty Images; Design: Will Toulos/Athlete
