On Wednesday morning, Lewis Hamilton made his long-awaited debut at Ferrari with TPC running at the Fiorano track.
The Briton completed 30 laps before his teammate Charles Leclerc took over in the afternoon.
First F1 outing of 2025
The 27-year-old, who will enter his seventh season with the team, feels motivated by the buzz surrounding the Scuderia and its driver line-up.
Leclerc also witnessed Hamilton’s first laps in the SF-23, which he noted was “a special moment” for his teammate and the team.
“The first day back in the car is always a great feeling after the holidays. It’s good to be back on track, to see that so many fans came out to watch us.
“Feeling all this excitement surrounding the team is very motivating. It was a good day, even though it was raining a little bit when I was driving.
“Of course, it was nice to be able to see Lewis driving his first laps in a Ferrari, which was a special moment for the team and for him.
“Now I’m looking forward to being back in the car next week and to really start working hard for the coming season.”
Ferrari will be back on track next week in Barcelona for more TPC runs. Leclerc and Hamilton will both take part, though it’s not confirmed which car they will be driving.
Vasseur back at work
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur compared the first day back on track to the first day of school.
7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton’s first day in the iconic red car.
The Drivers absolved the TPC running in less-than-ideal weather conditions. However, it helped the team, including the drivers, get back to a rhythm before the winter testing in Bahrain.
“As is the case every year, the first time you go out on track is a bit like the first day back at school and quite an emotional feeling, especially today as it was Lewis’ first day as part of the team.
“Welcoming a new driver is always an important moment. Maybe today was less special for Charles, but it was good to see him fit, relaxed, and keen to go racing again.
“As for the technical side, Charles and Lewis did their laps in not the best weather, but they got back in the swing of things and immersed themselves in the track environment prior to the first proper test in a month’s time in Bahrain.
“It was also a warm-up for the team in the garage. That was the sole purpose of today.”
