Ferrari have granted Lewis Hamilton a great honour with their chosen date for 2025 car reveal

Lewis Hamilton is just a month away from lining up on the F1 grid as a Ferrari driver.

The seven-time champion has undergone extensive testing with the Maranello outfit ahead of the 2025 season. Hamilton got his first Ferrari outing at Fiorano in January in the SF-23.

Thousands of Tifosi turned up to the track to witness the historic moment. Interest was so high that the mayor of Maranello declared a state of emergency to help the police force deal with the traffic in the surrounding area.

Fans could not catch a glimpse of Hamilton in action in Barcelona as the test was run behind closed doors. But that did not stop the 40-year-old from taking all the headlines – but this time for the wrong reasons.

Hamilton crashed at turn 12 at the Montmelo circuit, with the damage caused to the SF-23 resulting in teammate Charles Leclerc’s planned test being scrapped.

But Peter Windsor says fans should be ‘delighted’ with Hamilton’s crash as it shows how good he feels with the car and the team already. The Brit is motivated to make his Ferrari stint a success after enduring a difficult end to his time with Mercedes.

Ferrari will officially present the SF-25 on Enzo Ferrari’s birthday – February 20th

As the 2025 season nears closer, fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of Hamilton’s first Ferrari machine – the SF-25. The Maranello outfit will be hoping it brings title success after narrowly losing to McLaren in 2024 by 14 points in the constructors’ championship.

Ferrari will be taking a ‘calculated risk’ by changing the suspension on the 2025 car. It seems strange to revolutionise components before the regulations are set to change – but it sounds like it may be paying off.

Martin Brundle says the feeling is that Ferrari have progressed more than McLaren over the winter – a huge confidence boost for Hamilton who will be searching for his eighth title in the SF-25 this season.

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Ferrari’s new livery will be unveiled at the sport’s launch event – F175 – at the O2 Arena in London on February 18th – the event will be Hamilton’s first public appearance as a Ferrari driver.

The following day, the SF-25 will get its first outing in Fiorano before, as per journalist Piergiuseppe Donadoni, the car is officially presented on February 20th – Enzo Ferrari’s birthday.

Donadoni posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The SF-25 will thus be officially presented on the day of birth (recorded in the registry office on 20/02/1898) of Enzo Ferrari”. This will mark another great honour for Hamilton at Ferrari as he prepares for his first season in red.

Could Lewis Hamilton get the edge over Charles Leclerc at Ferrari?

Hamilton arguably faces his biggest challenge in 2025 as he goes up against Leclerc at Ferrari. The Monagasque driver has been with the Maranello outfit since 2016 in his academy days and is one of the strongest drivers over one lap.

The seven-time champion will initially be behind his teammate as he gets accustomed to Ferrari. He will also be disadvantaged during the season as Hamilton cannot run any TPC tests – having hit his 1,000km limit after testing in Fiorano and Barcelona.

Pirelli were impressed by Leclerc in 2024, particularly with his scorching first lap in Abu Dhabi. This will be a concern for Hamilton given he struggled with tyre management at Mercedes last season.

But the Brit could have an upper hand at Ferrari with his history in the sport. Hamilton could be ‘exempt from criticism’ because of his seven world championships, while Leclerc may face pressure for not winning one yet.

Eddie Jordan has told Leclerc to ‘get on his bike’ early if he wants to beat Hamilton this season. The 40-year-old will be raring to go from the off and his teammate will have to be on his game to get the better of him.