From the moment Lewis Hamilton set foot in the industrial town of Maranello on a bleak overcast day in mid-January, the fanfare has exceeded all expectations.
In fact, Formula 1 has never seen anything quite like this.
The merging of the sport’s biggest star and the sport’s most fabled team has resulted in wonderful scenes of devotion, splendour and brouhaha. Most of these have taken place in Italy, Hamilton’s new home away from Monaco, with one memorable night in London on Tuesday.
Hamilton himself, on Wednesday, described his first month as a Ferrari F1 driver as, quite simply, “magic”.
Yet beyond the commotion and vigour off-track, next week is when it is down to real business with testing in Bahrain. How quick is Ferrari’s new car? The Briton will be all too aware that the past 32 days must not be his 2025 peak. But still, it’s been a mesmerising start.
Meet and greet
Day 1 at Ferrari HQ saw Hamilton meeting the 1,500-strong workforce in various departments at Ferrari. He shook everyone’s hand before posing for that most striking of photos in front of Enzo Ferrari’s house, dressed immaculately in a double-breasted black suit.
The picture dropped. And the reaction surged. It became the most liked F1 post ever on Instagram.
Quickly, fans pointed to the potential symbolism behind seven open windows in the background – was the closed front door a foresight for title number eight?
He also met supporters crowded outside the factory, flanked by Ferrari chairman John Elkann – the man praised for luring Hamilton to the Scuderia for £50m a year – who had the face of a proud uncle.
A ‘perfect’ meal at Ristorante Montana
Day two saw a seat fitting and a first glimpse of Hamilton in a scarlet race suit, adorned with the prancing horse. By nightfall, though, he was dining at Ristorante Montana – a favourite venue of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.
Joined by his father Anthony, mother Carmen, stepmother Linda and Piero Ferrari (son of Enzo), the 40-year-old opted for a vegetarian ragu in a venue surrounded by Scuderia memorabilia.
Joint-owner Maurizio Giannini described Hamilton and the evening as “perfetto.”
He added: “No arrogance. He is just right for Ferrari.”
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Guess who’s back?
Contrary to popular belief, the biggest revelation on Hamilton’s third and final day of publicity in week one was not his first drive for Ferrari, in a 2023 car as part of a TPC (testing of previous cars) programme. Hamilton did, however, state later that his experience was completely different to his previous cars for Mercedes and McLaren.
Nor was it taking the acclaim of the adoring tifosi, with thousands lining the bridge on Via Giardini, as they came close to their hero.
One poster read: “Welcome Lewis. Until yesterday a rival and now, one of us.”
Instead, it was the news that Angela Cullen, Hamilton’s former personal trainer and confidante of seven years, had returned in partnership with Mission 44, the Brit’s charity.
Two years after her departure from Mercedes, the New Zealander was one of many captivated onlookers sporting scarlet as Hamilton enjoyed his first Ferrari miles.
She wasn’t the only familiar face. A key duo from his time at Mercedes – new deputy team principal Jerome D’Ambrosio and chassis technical director Loic Serra will also be familiar figures this year for the Brit.
And of course, there’s the team principal himself, Fred Vasseur, who worked with Hamilton all the way back in 2006, when a fresh-faced Brit won the GP2 title, his final step before F1.
Lezioni di italiano
The first public glimpse of Hamilton’s Italian came last week, as he spoke to fans at a sponsor event.
Reading from a phone, his pronunciation and accent were not half bad. He revealed this week he has been receiving regular lessons. As for Duolingo? Not for him.
An amusing segment at the start of an interview with Sky Sports Italia on Wednesday saw a rare sight: Hamilton squirming in front of the camera. Mercifully, the rest of the interview was conducted in English.
Nevertheless, Hamilton’s debut year with the team will be vastly improved if he gets a grip on the native tongue quickly.
fred looking at lewis speaking italian very proudly 😭❤️ pic.twitter.com/iXf0tK0o69
— sin ⁴⁴ (@44britcedes) February 12, 2025
Barcelona testing… and crashing
Hamilton’s next experience in a Ferrari car was with a week of TPC and a week of Pirelli tyre testing, with a look ahead to next year’s slimmer tyres.
Much was made of Hamilton crashing the 2023 car in week one but, as Hamilton hinted on Wednesday, he was simply looking to find the limit of the car early on.
“I definitely did that,” he smiled, when asked about his test. “I’ve enjoyed the testing that we’ve had. I’ve had to find the limits as quickly as possible because I’ve only had a handful of days. It’s just been fun.”
History shows us, too, that a crash in testing with a new team is no bad thing for Hamilton.
Lap times emerged from his Pirelli test, too, where he trailed teammate Charles Leclerc on the final day – but times are at this stage irrelevant, with each driver following different programmes on behalf of the tyre manufacturer.
However, slowly but surely, each lap helps the acclimatisation period.
Adoration in the capital
Tuesday’s season launch event in London, F1 75 Live in a nod to the sport’s 75th anniversary, was the perfect opportunity for Hamilton to bask in the passion and excitement of the British fans.
The day actually, for some of us, started out frustratingly. Ferrari were the only team not to hold a media session for the 150-plus journalists on-site, with one eye on their own team launch a day later in Maranello.
Yet the second Hamilton arrived on the red carpet all the way to host Jack Whitehall’s closing segment with all 20 drivers on stage, Ferrari’s new signing was the star of the show.
He even found some time to play virtual chess with teammate Leclerc. While amicability may not last long this year, with both vying to be No 1, the early warmth and respect between the pair is clear.
First 2025 run and tree-cutting
Hamilton took to the cockpit of the 2025 car, the SF-25, for the first time on Wednesday at Fiorano.
And much like a month previously, hundreds of fans gathered on the bridge and banks overlooking the circuit for one final glimpse of their new hero before pre-season testing in Bahrain next week.
Sure, cutting down trees and branches may have been a slightly overzealous step. But it simply emphasises the raw passion and emotion of the tifosi: any sight of Hamilton is valued. His first race in Italy, at Imola in May, should be a glorious occasion.
Hamilton has looked to embed himself within Ferrari as appropriately as possible. His motorhome has been parked right next to Enzo Ferrari’s house. He has jogged the Fiorano track regularly, early in the morning. He can attend meetings with engineers quickly, as he becomes attuned to a new car and engine.
But for now? From Maranello, all roads lead to Bahrain. Have Ferrari built a car capable of challenging for the championship? Next week, we’ll find out.
And from there it’s Albert Park in Melbourne – a track on which Hamilton has actually only won twice in 16 attempts – and the season opener on 16 March. If the first month is anything to go by, we’re in for a hell of a ride in 2025.
