Former Ferrari F1 driver Jean Alesi revealed the backstage reaction to Lewis Hamilton within the team after completing his Mercedes switch.

And it is good news for the seven-time World Champion, as the opinions which Alesi has been getting from Ferrari personnel on Hamilton are very positive indeed.

Lewis Hamilton a ‘cultural shock’ for Ferrari

Additional reporting by Sam Cooper

Hamilton to Ferrari was a deal that had been signed, sealed and delivered for a year already, the bombshell having dropped ahead of F1 2024 that Hamilton had activated a release clause in his Mercedes contract in order to join the Scuderia from 2025.

And Hamilton is now settling into life at Maranello, with February 19 a highly significant date in his calendar as he got behind the wheel of his first Ferrari F1 car – the SF-25 – at Fiorano, taking over in the afternoon from team-mate Charles Leclerc who put Ferrari’s new creation through its initial paces.

Hamilton brings record-breaking F1 success with him from Mercedes, and the seven-time World Champion – with an unmatched 105 grand prix wins to his name – has seemingly wowed his new team.

“I know many people in Ferrari. He impressed everybody,” Alesi – who claimed his sole F1 victory with Ferrari at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix – told Sky Sports F1.

“He impressed everybody from his presence, the way he presented himself to the team.

“Really, he was a cultural shock for Ferrari, to have such a champion, and without taking anything to Charles and Carlos Sainz [sic], but so far, he impressed everybody.”

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Hamilton replaced Sainz at Ferrari, the Spaniard subsequently agreeing a multi-year deal with Williams after a final Ferrari campaign which produced two wins, taking his career tally to four.

And as Ferrari chase their first F1 title since 2008 – while Hamilton’s continues to pursue that record eighth World Championship – Sainz conceded that Hamilton’s arrival boosts Ferrari’s title hopes, to his mind.

Asked by the media, including PlanetF1.com, at the launch of the Williams FW47, whether Hamilton could restore title glory to Ferrari, Sainz said: “Honestly, I don’t know.

“I’ve never been team-mates with Lewis, so I don’t know what he’s capable of doing. I’ve never seen his data.

“I’ve seen Charles and I know how good Charles is, but I’ve never been team-mates with Lewis.

“And the only way you can more or less evaluate a driver is when you’re their team-mate and you see what they’re capable of doing.

“When I judge by results and his background and what he’s achieved, I can only say there is a very high chance that obviously he is going to be competitive at Ferrari.

“But like everything, it will all depend on how well you can adapt to a car, how well you can adapt to a team and in which moment your team-mate is in.

“There are so many variables that it is impossible for me to predict.

“I can only say when I left Ferrari, I did feel the team – both Ferrari and Charles – were ready to fight for a World Championship.

“And with Lewis joining, that chance only got increased.”

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