Lewis Hamilton admits he is “missing something” by not driving the Ferrari SF-24 in the Abu Dhabi test, but on Tuesday he’s in Kuala Lumpur at a Mercedes and Petronas farewell event instead.

Hamilton contested his final Grand Prix with the Silver Arrows in Abu Dhabi on Sunday night where he put in a drive of “a World Champion” according to Toto Wolff as he raced from 16th on the grid to fourth at the chequered flag.

Lewis Hamilton ‘for sure’ missing something by sitting out test

Hamilton said farewell to Mercedes, at least on the track, on Sunday night as he’s off to Ferrari next season having signed a multi-year contract with the Scuderia.

But while the driver he’s replacing, Carlos Sainz, is in action at the Yas Marina circuit in Tuesday’s post-season test for his new team Williams, Hamilton is in Kuala Lumpur a Petronas event.

The seven-time World Champion admits he was undecided about wanting a run in the SF-24 on Tuesday but that it was decided by his Mercedes’ post-season commitments.

He, however, admits he is “missing out on something” by not gaining the extra day of experience with Ferrari.

“I know Fred [Vasseur] wanted it to happen,” Hamilton said. “For me I was in two minds. Driving the red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi does not excite me. In the perfect world you’d get to drive it and not be seen. And do the first roll-out next year.

“When I did raise it with Toto they had all these plans, that I’ve got to go and see some of the sponsors and say their farewells.

“I don’t think it was ever going to be allowed even if I’d asked for it. But I’m contracted with the team until December 31, and that’s totally fine.

“It doesn’t bother me because I wasn’t going to do the test, I told Fred that’s not what I want to do.

“Am I missing out on something? For sure. It definitely delays the process and makes the start of the year harder but we’ll do our best to recover from it.”

Analysis: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in F1 2025

👉 Lewis Hamilton now finally has a chance to escape the ghosts of Abu Dhabi 2021

👉Revealed: The remarkable 36-hour timeline behind Lewis Hamilton’s shock Ferrari move

While Sainz was getting to know his F1 2025 team, their procedures, pit stop practices and even the set-up of the steering wheel, Hamilton will have some catching up to do next season.

He will still have the opportunity to get a feel for Ferrari before the team launches their F1 2025 car as Ferrari are planning to hold a private test for the 39-year-old at the Fiorano circuit in a two-year-old Ferrari early next year.

As such Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur wasn’t particularly bothered that Hamilton wouldn’t test on Tuesday.

“I’m not sure that he needs tons of hours of acclimatisation,” Vasseur told Autosport. “He is experienced enough to be quick on the first day, or at least very soon.

“We’ll have one or two TPC days, plus the test in Bahrain, and that will be enough.”

As for Wolff, he explained that Mercedes weren’t out to block Hamilton from testing with Ferrari, they just had prior engagements for their six-time World Champion.

“We have contractual agreements with sponsors, we’re having a farewell for Lewis,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com.

“A lot of activities that are planned. Him and I, we spoke about it briefly, and he said ‘I guess that’s not going to work’, and I said ‘Yeah I don’t think it’s going to work’. I don’t think Fred is particularly sad.”

The first of those commitments for Hamilton was on Tuesday when the Briton attended a Petronas event where he was greeted by screaming fans as he took to the stage.

Read next: Carlos Sainz conducts first Williams mission during final Ferrari laps