At the beginning of last season, Lewis Hamilton shocked the motorsport world with his decision to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari.
It was a major shift, one that had fans buzzing with anticipation.
The seven-time world champion signed a massive £50 million-a-year deal with the Italian team, but despite the switch, he continued racing for Mercedes during his final year with them.
The move had all the makings of a historic shift in the sport, but getting comfortable in his new environment at Ferrari hasn’t been without its challenges.
Settling into Maranello
Hamilton’s transition into life with Ferrari has been smooth in some ways, especially off the track.
After joining his boyhood team, he wasted no time settling into his new Italian home.
However, his first few days at the Maranello-based team highlighted just how different things were going to be.
Fans in Ferrari’s iconic red were eager to see him in action, but his first public outing in Bahrain for pre-season testing showed just how much ground he needed to make up.
Struggling to Keep Up
On the track, things didn’t go as smoothly as he might have hoped.
During the pre-season testing, Hamilton finished a distant 13th-fastest on the third day, far behind the leader, Lando Norris.
The performance was a clear reminder that Hamilton had a lot of catching up to do, especially after spending over a decade with Mercedes, a team that had been his home and comfort zone.
Adding to the frustration, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was met with a few awkward moments.
In one instance, a graphic aired on both Formula One TV and Sky Sports incorrectly listed him as a Mercedes driver—something that went unnoticed by the commentators.
Mercedes team members were also seen removing Hamilton’s famous #44 from some equipment at the testing site, making it clear that his departure was still fresh and not entirely smooth.
A New Era with Ferrari
Hamilton, however, seems determined to focus on the future. Despite the hiccups, he’s made it clear that he’s aiming for an eighth world championship with Ferrari, a goal that could make history if achieved.
As he continues to adjust to his new team, he’s already made some tweaks to his car, most notably changing the buttons on his Ferrari’s steering wheel to suit his driving style, which he had developed over the years with Mercedes.
The Long Road Ahead
While Hamilton has made some alterations, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Former Ferrari reserve driver, Oliver Bearman, pointed out that Hamilton’s changes to the steering wheel suggest he’s trying to recreate habits built up with Mercedes.
On top of that, Sky Sports analyst Alex Brundle highlighted that this testing session in Bahrain is essentially Hamilton’s first real opportunity to get acquainted with the Ferrari SF-25.
With a new front suspension setup and the complexities of adapting to a completely different car, it will take all of Hamilton’s experience to get up to speed.
Excitement for the Future
There’s plenty of optimism, however. Brundle and others are excited to see how Hamilton’s experience will help him progress with Ferrari over the coming weeks.
He’s in for a steep learning curve, but with his motivation and energy, there’s hope that he’ll get the car moving in the right direction.
As testing continues and the season begins, the true test of Hamilton’s Ferrari journey is just getting started, and it promises to be a fascinating ride.