Lewis Hamilton’s first test for Ferrari may prove to be the biggest story of the F1 off-season. It’s the moment the sport has been waiting for since last February’s bombshell announcement.
In the weeks after the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Red Bull announced the departure of Sergio Perez and the ascension of Liam Lawson. Isack Hadjar then landed the final seat with Racing Bulls.
And next month, all 10 teams and 20 drivers will gather in London for the F175 launch event. But Hamilton’s first outing in red is likely to generate the most publicity of all.
This is, after all, the sport’s most successful driver representing its most iconic team. It’s a dream for commercial rights holders Liberty Media.
Hamilton won’t be able to carry out extensive running in the 2025 Ferrari until the pre-season test in Bahrain at the end of February. But he can still complete valuable mileage beforehand.
Under the rules, teams are allowed to privately run cars that are two or more years old. Hamilton can therefore get used to Ferrari’s processes, and their steering wheel, in the 2022 or 2023 challenger.
Reported dates for Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari appearances are wrong
Reports had claimed that Hamilton would make his Ferrari debut on 21 January, or the 22nd if the weather was unsuitable. But speaking on The Race F1 podcast, journalist Jonathan Noble said this wasn’t the case.
Ferrari have rejected that timeline, though they’re deliberately being secretive. Fred Vasseur has already said Hamilton won’t receive the same fanfare as Michael Schumacher because the team want to focus on the task at hand.
Rather than picking a set date, Ferrari have established a ‘window’ where he can take to the Fiorano test track. Theoretically, his debut could come as early as Saturday.
Hamilton is also expected to drive in Barcelona as part of a Pirelli tyre test. The more he can adapt during the winter, the better chance he has at beating Charles Leclerc from the off.
“There have been some dates [going] around of 21 and 22 January, which I’m told aren’t correct,” Noble said. “There is a window that Ferrari have laid down for this test, so it probably runs from the weekend of the 19th.
“Our best guess is that Ferrari are saying Lewis is going to arrive in Maranello in the second half of January, so that probably means around 17, 18, 19 January. Probably there’ll be a Fiorano test at any point from the 18th to the 21st, 22nd.
“It also depends on the weather. If it’s snowing, they obviously can’t run. It’ll be a clear day. They want to give him two days at Fiorano to understand the car, team, processes and controls. Some time around that date.”
The change Nico Rosberg expects to see in Lewis Hamilton after Ferrari move
Hamilton’s Mercedes exit was similar to Nico Rosberg’s retirement, Brackley communications chief Bradley Lord says. Rosberg stunned the world of F1 by quitting as champion at the end of 2016.
Perhaps it was inevitable that Hamilton would struggle after agreeing to leave before the season had started. He finished outside the top six in the world championship for the first time ever.
But that will largely be forgotten if he finishes on the podium, or even wins, at his first Ferrari race in Australia. Rosberg thinks Hamilton’s ‘passion’ will return this year after an invigorating change of teams.
