Hamilton’s first testing session a glimpse of things to come at Ferrari

While F1 remained among the most streamed sports last year, it would be fair to say that the series went a little stale due to Max Verstappen’s dominance. However, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri offered hope for the future by helping McLaren win the Constructors’ title, while Charles Leclerc had a decent season with Ferrari.

They will be eager to knock Verstappen off his perch this term, but will also have to contend with reinvigorated seven-time world champion Hamilton. His first testing session in a Ferrari lasted just 30 laps, but gave him the opportunity to get acquainted with how the Italian team operates.

Thousands of Ferrari fans watched Hamilton at the team’s private test circuit at Fiorano, highlighting the excitement his move has already generated. His first run on wet tyres covered ten laps and included a couple of practice starts to help him understand different procedures in the car.

Hamilton switched to slick tyres as the track started to dry, and he subsequently had a couple of lock-ups as he steadily got to grips with the Ferrari’s capabilities.

The weather turned again to end Hamilton’s stint, which he then handed over to Leclerc so he could rack up a few laps in the wet conditions.

The British star will have further testing sessions before Ferrari unveils their 2025 specification car in in Maranello on February 19. Pre-season testing starts in Bahrain a week later.

While there was little to be gleaned from Hamilton’s first run in the Ferrari, the session will give him some useful insights into how their cars feel on the track.

The test also handed the 40-year-old to develop relationships with his race team, who will play a key role in his bid to win an eighth world title. Reuniting with his former trainer Angela Cullen should also boost Hamilton’s chances of mounting a strong bid to replace Verstappen as world champion.

Cullen was his trainer for seven years before they parted company in March 2023, but her return to the fold highlights how seriously Hamilton is taking his move to Ferrari.

His comments about Cullen during an interview in 2020 shone a light on how highly he values the contribution she has made to his successes in F1.

“People for sure won’t understand it, naturally, because they see it from a distance, but she has been one of the greatest things that’s happened to me in my life,” Hamilton said in an interview with F1.com.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of people, and she’s the single hardest-working woman that I get to be around. She’s focused, selfless, and she makes my weekends peaceful.

“Every day I wake up, whatever time it is, she’s just positive – never a single day has she been negative, so that’s very, very important.”

“I think it’s important in life to put positive people around you. You can’t be going around with dead weights. You can’t be going around with people who don’t inspire you to be better and lift you up when you’re down. You need to be around people who can do that for you, and she’s one of them.”

The buzz surrounding Hamilton’s test with Ferrari and the news that he is reuniting with Cullen have ramped up interest in the 2025 F1 season. Their collective journey could be the biggest storyline this season and is one which F1 followers across the world will be keenly monitoring.