The clamour to see Lewis Hamilton drive Ferrari’s 2023 Formula 1 car for the first time was felt around the world.
Hamilton’s first social media post in Ferrari colours broke records and thousands of people descended on the team’s private circuit at Fiorano to see him take to the track early on Wednesday morning.
Ferrari fans managed to see Hamilton complete 30 laps through the fog before he went to greet them after they patiently waited hours to see him.
The Scuderia aren’t strangers to signing some of the biggest drivers in the sport’s history.
Multiple world champions Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher all couldn’t resist Ferrari’s allure.
The likes of Juan Manuel Fangio, John Surtees, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter and Kimi Raikkonen can all attribute some of their biggest achievements in Formula 1 to their time with Ferrari.
However, in the world of social media and given Hamilton’s unprecedented record in F1, his arrival at Maranello has become one of the biggest events in the sport’s history.
Ferrari fans turned up in their thousands to see Hamilton, lining the streets around the Fiorano circuit to try and see him through the inclement weather that meant neither he nor Charles Leclerc could push the SF-23 to its limits.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 reporter Craig Slater, Sky Italia journalist Vicky Piria gave more details about the response to Hamilton’s signing in Italy.
While she and many others in the Italian media expected there to be plenty of hype, it’s even taken them by surprise just how excited Ferrari’s fans are ahead of the 2025 season.
Italian media ‘surprised’ by global interest in Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari
Vicky Piria was asked about the turnout to Hamilton’s first test and what it means about the Tifosi’s view towards him and she said: “Well, everybody’s so excited and it actually surprised all of us, even us from Sky Italy.
“I mean people have been here since five in the morning, waiting here, keeping their place and it’s just been a really good atmosphere, like a party and everybody just really getting excited for the season.
“I think with a good end of the season also with Ferrari that gave high hopes and then there’s been a lot of waiting.
READ MORE: How the turnout for Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari test compares with Sebastian Vettel’s debut
“Because this announcement came the 1st of February last year, so I mean the Tifosi had to wait quite a lot of time before this could actually happen.”
Hamilton’s first test being on many Italian fans’ doorsteps helps, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if there were a smattering of Ferrari flags in the stands at the Circuit de Catalunya for his next run, or in Bahrain for pre-season testing.
Lewis Hamilton’s value to Ferrari much more than just his on-track ability
When Ferrari announced Hamilton would be signing for the team in 2025, their share price rose by more than 10% to a new record high.
While that’s not exclusively down to the news that the seven-time world champion was arriving in Maranello, it didn’t harm the company’s value.
There were rumours that Hamilton could end up sponsoring Ferrari’s car this year with his own brands, but it’s yet to be seen what the team’s livery will look like.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family
The better Hamilton’s performances are on track, the more value he’s going to bring to Ferrari.
However, it’s impossible to ignore the commercial value of signing one of the biggest sporting superstars in the world.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur won’t be concerned about that, but it’s certainly a bonus for Ferrari, especially in the era of the cost cap.
