F1 fans notice one key difference in Lewis Hamilton on his first day at Ferrari after Mercedes exit

Lewis Hamilton is officially a Ferrari Formula 1 driver after his incredible 12-year stint at Mercedes came to an end.

The seven-time champion confirmed his move to the Maranello outfit before he had even stepped into Mercedes‘ W15 for the 2024 season.

Hamilton has said driving for Ferrari is his lifelong dream as he looks to become the first F1 driver to win an eighth title. The 40-year-old will also see a huge financial gain after signing a £39m-a-year contract with Ferrari – rising to £83m with add-ons.

Part of the reason for the Brit’s exit from Mercedes will be down to his lack of performance with the team during the ground effect era. Since 2022, Hamilton struggled to find the right balance with his machinery.

His two wins in 2024 at Silverstone and Spa were his first since Jeddah in 2021. Hamilton recorded the lowest finish of his career with seventh in the Drivers’ Championship.

George Russell became only the third driver – after Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg – to beat Hamilton across a season. The 40-year-old was very vocal about his discontent with his car and even hinted after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix that that race would be the last time he could perform with Mercedes.

After a difficult end to his spell with the Silver Arrows, Hamilton will be hoping his switch to Ferrari will be the confidence boost he needs. And F1 fans have already noticed a huge difference in the Brit’s demeanour after he visited the Ferrari factory.

F1 fans notice Lewis Hamilton looks ‘joyous’ and ‘excited’ for Ferrari challenge during his factory visit

The seven-time champion met his Ferrari colleagues in Maranello on Monday. Hamilton’s first duties at Ferrari consisted of saying hello to the employees at the factory before doing some simulator work.

Sky Sports F1 shared some behind the scenes footage of Hamilton’s visit. The Brit smiled from ear to ear throughout as he met with his new team members and fans outside of the factory.

And fans loved how excited Hamilton seemed to be about his new adventure as the 2025 season fast approaches.

One fan wrote: “He looks genuinely excited”, while another felt Hamilton’s infectious smile: “Is it only me smiling while watching this…”

One said: “Lewis looks refreshed and relaxed. Can’t wait for the season to start!” Another thinks Hamilton will prove many people wrong this season as they wrote: “He looks so energised and pumped! I think he’ll shut a lot of people up this year!”

One fan said the Ferrari employees would have loved seeing Hamilton look so excited for the challenge ahead: “He is so joyous. Must make meeting him so much more”.

Finally, one fan sent a heartfelt message to the Brit wishing him the best for the season ahead: “Hand on heart I hope he has a great year as you can’t take anything away from the guy can you, he looks up for the task ahead”.

Lewis Hamilton set for first Ferrari test this week

With his first day as a Ferrari driver complete, Hamilton’s debut in one of their F1 cars nears closer.

Hamilton is set for his first Ferrari test this week at the team’s private circuit in Fiorano. Under the rules. the 40-year-old will drive either a 2022 or 2023 car for this outing.

Predictably, fans are eager to see the seven-time champion drive a red car for the first time. Ferrari have given away as little detail as possible about the test as they look to gel Hamilton into the team without distraction.

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But that has not stopped fan interest from being sky high as they look to catch a glimpse of Hamilton driving a Ferrari before the 2025 season starts.

The Mayor of Marenello has declared a state of emergency to dispatch extra police officers to help regulate traffic, which may be affected due to the ‘onslaught’ of Ferrari fans coming to watch the test.

It is expected that the 40-year-old’s debut will take place on Wednesday. However, it is possible that Ferrari could sneak Hamilton’s test on Tuesday to avoid fans coming to watch the event at Fiorano.