The long-awaited second that Ferrari followers have been eagerly anticipating is lastly approaching.
Lewis Hamilton will quickly make his method to Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello to start preparations for the 2025 Method 1 season, and pleasure is constructing about how the game’s most profitable driver will fare on the sport’s most iconic crew. After securing six world championships with Mercedes, the British driver now goals to observe within the footsteps of Ferrari’s legendary driver Michael Schumacher by clinching a world title within the crew’s signature pink racing swimsuit.
Ought to he obtain this feat, the British driver would make historical past as the one driver in Method 1 to safe eight world championships, whereas additionally serving to the Maranello crew break a long-standing dry spell within the Drivers’ Championship that has lasted since Kimi Räikkönen’s triumph in 2007, when he narrowly defeated Lewis Hamilton in his first F1 season.
Nonetheless, Lewis Hamilton faces quite a few challenges earlier than that dream turns into a actuality, with 19 different proficient drivers on the grid aiming to disrupt his debut season with the Italian crew.
Whereas Ferrari has already scheduled Lewis Hamilton’s first session within the simulator, there may be nonetheless uncertainty surrounding his first official run in a Ferrari Method 1 automobile. His debut observe check is anticipated to happen in Barcelona, and he can also take part in a Pirelli tire check at Magny-Cours later this month.
However, his first true outing behind the wheel will happen at Ferrari’s personal Fiorano check observe.
In a latest look on The Race Podcast, motorsport journalist and F1 professional Jonathan Noble make clear why there may be some secrecy surrounding the timing of Lewis Hamilton’s preliminary on-track check. One concern, he defined, is Ferrari’s potential fear in regards to the overwhelming fan turnout at Fiorano for such a historic occasion.
Jonathan Noble was requested in regards to the British driver’s upcoming first check with Ferrari and defined that it was a subject of nice curiosity and the largest query of the winter. The motorsport journalist famous that Ferrari confronted a dilemma: they didn’t desire a large crowd of Tifosi descending upon Fiorano to look at Hamilton’s first check. He identified that the observe couldn’t be totally closed off, as there was a big bridge operating over it. He speculated that if Ferrari had been to announce a selected date and time for Hamilton’s check, the bridge would possible be crowded with spectators, inflicting chaos and requiring police intervention, which might create a difficult state of affairs.
The Italian aspect has taken steps to maintain the main points of Hamilton’s first check underneath wraps to be able to stop a mass inflow of followers flocking to Fiorano. Regardless of their greatest efforts to keep up secrecy, there’s a restricted window by which Ferrari can schedule testing periods for each Hamilton and Charles Leclerc earlier than heading to Bahrain for the official pre-season testing. This tight timeline has already given Ferrari’s most passionate followers some clues as to after they may have the ability to catch a glimpse of their new driver on the observe.
The anticipation for the 2025 season is rising quickly, regardless of the official begin not occurring till mid-March when the Method 1 circus heads to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton made his transfer to Ferrari identified earlier than the 2024 season even started, a daring determination that carried its dangers, particularly provided that he wasn’t sure whether or not Mercedes might recuperate and ship a aggressive bundle for the upcoming 12 months.