Hamilton: First race can’t come soon enough

However, seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton remains undeterred, looking forward to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix ahead of his debut season in the red of Ferrari.

A year on since the "F1 News of the Century," on 1 February 2024, Ferrari and Hamilton stunned the Formula 1 world by confirming a move that many had considered improbable—the seven-time world champion leaving Mercedes after two decades to race alongside Charles Leclerc at Maranello. Now, as he prepares for his first season in scarlet, the 40-year-old Briton’s every move is under intense scrutiny.

Hamilton suffered a minor crash on Wednesday during a private testing session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, his second outing in a Ferrari F1 car. Having driven one of the team’s 2023 machines for the first time at Fiorano last week, his latest run in Spain was cut short after the incident.

Few details have been disclosed about the crash, but Hamilton was unharmed. The incident, however, disrupted Ferrari’s plans, preventing Leclerc from completing his scheduled running later that day.

Despite the setback, Hamilton remains focused on the upcoming season. On Thursday evening, he shared images from his Barcelona test on Instagram with a brief caption: "First race can’t come soon enough."

Prior to his first drive in Red, with Ferrari fans lining the Fiorano fences to watch their new hero, Piero Ferrari, son of founder Enzo, told reporters: "I could hardly believe it! The true passion struck me.

"The people who looked out over the Fiorano circuit from the bridge and entered the cycle path shared a demonstration of love. Hamilton is healthy and in good shape both physically and mentally. I don't think age is a problem. He has taken on the challenge with great enthusiasm, so he is confident in his abilities."

Regarding the welcome received at Fiorano for his first test, Ferrari said, "I could hardly believe it! The true passion struck me. The people who looked out over the Fiorano circuit from the bridge and entered the cycle path shared a demonstration of love.

"Beautiful! I can't remember any other drivers who were so elegant on their first day at Ferrari. An impeccable suit and a tie... We managers, for example, didn't have a tie," added the Ferrari scion.

Official pre-season testing is set to take place in Bahrain from 26-28 February, where Hamilton will get his first laps in the Ferrari SF-25, their 2025 F1 challenger. The season then gets underway in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix on 14-16 March.