Preparations continue for Lewis Hamilton as he gets his first taste of what it is like to be a Ferrari driver ahead of the 2025 season.
Hamilton took his first visit to their factory in Maranello this week, where he posed for photos in front of Enzo Ferrari’s old house with an F40 road car.
Ferrari fans were impressed by Hamilton’s attire as he wore a suit to mark the occasion, while the official photo posted appeared to show seven windows and a door to an eighth – symbolising his ambitions to become an eight-time world champion.
As swathes of fans were outside of the factory to greet Hamilton, Maranello’s major has declared a ‘state of emergency’ before his first test is due to take place.
For Hamilton, the Briton is realising a dream most drivers would love by driving for Ferrari. The move was always rumoured as his success grew greater with Mercedes, given there would come a point where there was nothing left to achieve.
As Sebastian Vettel’s time at the Scuderia came to an end and Hamilton’s contract was up for renewal at Mercedes in 2020, the seven-time world champion was asked about a potential move by Sky Sports Italy.
Lewis Hamilton said being a fan of Ferrari was ‘never a secret’ despite Mercedes success
Hamilton broke records during his time at Mercedes and at one point they were an unstoppable force, particularly through the 2017 – 2020 seasons.
But amidst this success, Hamilton once admitted that it was ‘no secret’ that he is a fan of Ferrari and praised the ‘charm’ of the iconic Tifosi.
“It was never a secret, I was always a big fan of Ferrari. I have Ferraris at home that I love, I like them a lot. Of course when you’re in Formula 1 and you see certain things, they can make you change some ideas,” said Hamilton.
“Ferrari is still an incredible brand, when you come to Italy and see these fans, you understand why Ferrari has so much charm. It has fans all over the world, which is why it is so important for F1. I hope, before my career ends, that I can still fight with Ferrari.”
Damon Hill and Lando Norris share excitement for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Hamilton is the first British driver to race for Ferrari since Eddie Irvine in 1999, with this expected to be his F1 swansong.
Damon Hill expressed his excitement for the move by writing ‘there it is, the beginning’ when posting about the official photo released by Ferrari.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family
Lando Norris also called Hamilton a ‘don’ as he appeared in a suit rather than regular team gear, as the seven-time world champion went around the factory to greet everyone.
Ferrari will hold a launch event on 19th February, which is a day after the F1 75 ceremony at London’s O2, where they will reveal their livery like the other nine teams.
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