“I believe that you’ve got been excellent from the primary day in Maranello till at the moment.”
Lewis Hamilton is just not solely feeling the adulation of the Tifosi in addition to his new staff at Ferrari, but in addition the Italian press seems to be loving his arrival. To this point, the curiosity and pleasure has been monumental, but it surely has all been based mostly on operating in earlier vehicles, or an look in his overalls on the O2 Area final night time.
Wednesday was an enormous milestone within the early a part of Hamilton’s newest chapter, as he drove what will likely be his first Ferrari — the SF-25 — throughout a shakedown on the staff’s Fiorano check observe.
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Hamilton and Leclerc take to the observe in Ferrari’s new SF-25
Whereas Charles Leclerc was the motive force getting requested in regards to the modifications to the automotive and the preliminary feeling — one which he mentioned was constructive as nothing unfavorable stood out — Hamilton was talking extensively for the primary time about his transfer and what it has accomplished for his motivation and outlook, with one very clear objective in thoughts.
“To me, it’s the primary — successful the championship for Ferrari is the primary,” Hamilton mentioned. “That’s what I’m working in direction of.
“I don’t take into consideration the quantity eight. I’m desirous about the primary championship that the staff has received for a while. However they’ve already had many, many world championships over their historical past. So, for me, it’s searching for that first one with the staff. And the way can I contribute to that? How can I assist them obtain that?”
However the quantity eight is inconceivable to disregard given how it will transfer him one away from Michael Schumacher to face alone because the most-crowned driver in Method 1 historical past, and he’s making an attempt to do it with the staff Schumacher grew to become synonymous with.
After six weeks at Ferrari, and after talking to him twice this week, it appears like Hamilton’s personal perception has solely grown, and he admits he’s extra optimistic than ever of successful that eighth title.
“Sure [I’m more hopeful]. Sure, however I’m additionally conscious… there’s quite a lot of drivers that by no means ever get to win a world championship, initially. I’ve been lucky to work in two groups beforehand, work with nice organizations.
“You’ve seen within the historical past of the game, the place you’ve acquired nice groups and issues don’t align and so they find yourself, a few of them not successful world championships. However this staff already has an insane legacy. They’re not in need of what number of world championships they’ve received. So I believe of their DNA, they’ve that successful mentality.
“The competitors is fierce and also you’ve had nice outcomes from different iconic groups. McLaren now, Pink Bull and clearly Mercedes. It’s going to be shut on the high. However I’ve acquired an important teammate. The vitality that I’m receiving from the staff, there’s magic right here.
“It’s going to nonetheless take quite a lot of onerous work and grafting from completely everybody, and everybody’s placing that in already to realize it. But it surely’s additionally about perception. Everybody right here desires of successful with Ferrari — each single particular person on this staff.”
The way it feels to race alongside @LewisHamilton 😎 pic.twitter.com/JCp5B4tja9
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 19, 2025
Carrying the exact same dream, Leclerc emphasised how impressed he has been with Ferrari’s potential to stay targeted and constant in its work regardless of the “craziness” he can see surrounding it. Hamilton’s arrival arguably exceeds the hype that got here with two different a number of world champions making the identical transfer within the type of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, however their achievements are one thing the 40-year-old is eager to salute, with Alonso successful on his debut for Ferrari and Vettel taking victory in his second race.
“These guys did an incredible job,” Hamilton mentioned. “I’ve large respect for these two drivers and having joined groups earlier than, the step it takes and the quantity of labor that goes on to acclimatizing is extraordinary and so it makes these outcomes that they’d much more distinctive than even I had appreciated earlier than.
“What I do know is that the testing is extra restricted than ever earlier than however fortuitously, I’ve had little bit of time within the automotive. I’m nonetheless acclimatizing. It took me six months, I believe, in Mercedes to get my first win. Actually, I don’t know however I’m doing all the pieces I can to be prepared for race one.”
Testing of earlier automotive (TPC) outings have helped Hamilton put together and are an indication of how dedicated he’s to making an attempt to win with Ferrari. Testing has not often been one in all his favourite pastimes, however he has embraced it this time round as a result of he says his new dwelling requires an excellent larger effort than he’s ever requested of himself earlier than.
“It’s given me much more appreciation, as I’ve talked about, about Sebastian and Fernando becoming a member of right here,” he mentioned. “I’ve watched over time, drivers shifting round — some shifting round much more than others — and I understand how lengthy it takes to construct belief and develop inside a staff and develop with folks, as I’ve skilled that with Mercedes, I’ve skilled that with McLaren. I actually cherish the longevity that I had inside these locations and the bonds that we created in that point. And so they don’t occur in a single day.
“However this step is large. It couldn’t be any larger. The group is huge. The eagerness provides to it — from the followers, from the Tifosi, from the folks inside — to that need to need to win. And also you don’t need to let folks down. You need to have the ability to ship in your phrase.
Lewis and the tifosi 🤝 pic.twitter.com/z3tmwqHPAr
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 19, 2025
“How I made a decision to come back into this 12 months, my decision, my mentality, is I must elevate in completely each space on my aspect. It’s not simply, ‘That is who I’m and I’ve simply acquired to jel in.’ I’ve acquired to raise in each single [area]: My health, my time administration, how I have interaction with my engineers, how a lot time I spend within the manufacturing unit, all these various things. I’ve positively accomplished that and I’m doing that and I’ll proceed to try this on this try for perfection and to realize the success that I’m aiming to realize.
“But it surely’s quite a lot of work, I’ve to say. The entire new tradition, completely different language, all the brand new manufacturers that I’m attending to work with — day-after-day is new, I’m experiencing one thing new, which really is admittedly thrilling.
“And within the brief house of time, it’s actually not a very long time from the day you be part of the staff to the primary race. Perhaps for you [media] guys, you’re feeling it’s drawn out, but it surely’s not — it’s very brief and there’s no shortcuts you could take. And we’re not taking it, we’re simply placing the work in and we’re grafting.”
The Italian journalist who had informed Hamilton he had been excellent up to now needed one phrase from him to sum up his expertise and emotions thus far.
“Emozionante,” was the one the seven-time world champion selected. As soon as once more, it’s onerous to say that’s something however the excellent match.
“We all know we’ve got an enormous quantity of labor to do. I do know that I’ve an enormous quantity of labor to do. I’m nonetheless acclimatizing — I’ve solely been right here a month, or simply over a month, so I’m nonetheless acclimatizing to a very new automotive, a very new method of working, however everybody’s bent over backwards on this staff to make me really feel welcome. And I actually really feel at dwelling.
“I do know I’m precisely the place I’m imagined to be. It feels pure. It feels proper.”
