Why Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari helmet has ‘nothing to do’ with Formula 1 idol Ayrton Senna

Lewis Hamilton has sent the world of Formula 1 into chaos with his first images as a Ferrari driver.

Fans had to wait almost a year for the seven-time world champion to appear in the famous red colours. Now the day has finally come, Hamilton has grabbed the world’s attention with his first week at Maranello.

The Brit posed in a full suit outside of Enzo Ferrari’s old house with a Ferrari F40 behind him during his first factory visit to Maranello. Hamilton’s picture is now the most-liked F1-related picture of all time – surpassing teammate Charles Leclerc from his win at Monza in 2024.

The following day, the 40-year-old shared the first image of him in a Ferrari race suit. Damon Hill sent a message to Hamilton after seeing the picture for the first time, claiming the ‘devil wears Ferrari’.

Hamilton took part in his first test with Ferrari on Wednesday at the team’s Fiorano Circuit. More than a thousand Tifosi showed up at the track to watch the historic moment.

Lewis Hamilton’s yellow helmet has nothing to do with Ayrton Senna as he has used the colour throughout his career

The session was hampered by poor weather with fog and rain hitting Fiorano. But that did not stop the 40-year-old from impressing, with Hamilton showing elite car control in the tricky conditions.

Hamilton was six seconds faster than teammate Leclerc, although that was because the Monagasque driver ran fewer laps and they were all in the rain.

One key talking point from the Brit’s first Ferrari test was the striking new helmet design he sported. Hamilton showed off the all-yellow helmet on his social media pages.

The design has drawn comparisons to his F1 icon Ayrton Senna, who was synonymous for his iconic yellow helmet with the green and blue of his native Brazil.

However, as per a report from AutoRacer, Hamilton’s decision to race with a yellow helmet has little to do with Senna. This is because the colour yellow has been used by Hamilton throughout his career.

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Many fans will remember his iconic yellow helmet ‘in 2006, when he won the GP2 title ahead of Nelson Piquet Jr., and in 2007 when he made his sensational debut in F1’. The Brit continued to use the colour with McLaren up until he joined Mercedes in 2013, where he transitioned to a more white design.

While it was ‘inevitable’ that comparisons with Senna would arise, Hamilton has kept the colour close to him over the years and the yellow will be a welcome return in 2025.

Martin Brundle has pointed out one exciting thing about Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari F1 car

Heading into the 2025 season, Hamilton will be desperate to get off to a strong start with Ferrari after a disappointing end to his spell with Mercedes.

The Brit finished seventh in the standings in 2024 – the lowest finish of his F1 career. Hamilton struggled to find the right balance with the W15 as he was eliminated before Q3 six times.

The 40-year-old is raring to go at Ferrari after fans noticed Hamilton looked excited and joyous during his factory visit on Monday – a sharp contrast to his discontent last year at Mercedes.

Driving for F1’s most successful team will bring pressure onto the seven-time champion’s shoulders. Ferrari fans are already demanding the world championship from Hamilton in 2025.

And he may be dealt a huge boost in those aspirations. Martin Brundle says Ferrari may have improved more than McLaren over the winter, giving them a strong chance of fighting at the front this season.