Ferrari fans are renowned for their passion and more than 5,000 of the Tifosi were at Fiorano to watch Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post their first laps in the SF-25.
The Scuderia took advantage of the filming day rules on Wednesday as Leclerc and Hamilton completed 200 kilometres (124m) with their car for the new season. It was the first time the SF-25 hit a circuit as Ferrari moved to check their systems before the only pre-season test.
All 10 teams will convene over February 26, 27 and 28 for testing at the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix. It is the only time that F1 teams can complete unrestricted running ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, where Hamilton will become the 13th British driver to race for Ferrari.
Ferrari fans joked it was ‘tea time’ amid a lull in Lewis Hamilton’s SF-25 shakedown
The Tifosi have tried to make Hamilton quickly feel at home at Maranello after his arrival at Ferrari from Mercedes. More than 1,000 Ferrari fans visited Fiorano for Hamilton’s first test in January, but that total pales in comparison to the in excess of 5,000 there on Wednesday.
According to Auto Racer, Ferrari fans continued to flood into the streets around Fiorano all day as Leclerc and Hamilton tested the SF-25 for the first time. The Monegasque got to lap their car for the 2025 Formula 1 season first, before the Briton took over for the afternoon.
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Leclerc nearly broke the Fiorano track record in the SF-25 as his running was uninterrupted and without any issues. Hamilton also enjoyed a smooth run in the SF-25, even completing 10 laps straight out of their garage. But Ferrari followed his initial run with a lengthy break.
So long was the absence, in fact, that Ferrari fans joked it was ‘tea time’ as Hamilton spent around half an hour in the garage between his first and second runs with their 2025 F1 car. But he was soon back running without issues as Ferrari turn their focus to the Bahrain test.
Ferrari know the Bahrain pre-season test will indicate their 2025 F1 car’s real speed
Ferrari know the Bahrain test next week will deliver their first real indicator of how fast their new beast is in comparison to their rivals’ machines. Hamilton will also hope lapping a more familiar track at the Bahrain International Circuit helps with his adjustment to a different car.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
The Scuderia’s filming day may have proceeded without issue but Hamilton was 0.8 seconds slower around Fiorano than Leclerc in the SF-25. He will not want to let the Monegasque set Ferrari’s pace in Bahrain as the Briton establishes himself at what is basically Leclerc’s team.
Hamilton has joined Leclerc at Ferrari, where the 27-year-old is preparing for a seventh year racing in red. The Scuderia promoted their academy product from Sauber in only his second season in Formula 1. Leclerc is part of the furniture with Ferrari as Hamilton gets settled in.
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