Lewis Hamilton took to the track in a Mercedes Formula 1 car for the first time since it was announced that he would be leaving the team.

Lewis Hamilton, the British driver who currently races for Mercedes in Formula 1, recently had the opportunity to test a Mercedes car at the Jerez circuit in Spain. This was his first time behind the wheel since it was announced that he would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Alongside him was his former teammate and current Aston Martin driver, Fernando Alonso. The purpose of the test was to conduct tyre testing for Pirelli, the official tyre supplier for Formula 1. Over the course of the testing session, Hamilton completed 126 laps and achieved a best lap time of 1:18.936s. Alonso, on the other hand, completed 156 laps in the AMR23 challenger, with a fastest lap time of 1:18.752s. It is important to note that the focus of the testing was not on lap times, but rather on assisting Pirelli in developing their tyres for the 2025 season. Both Mercedes and Aston Martin will continue their testing programs, with Lance Stroll and George Russell taking over driving duties. Ferrari, on the other hand, has already conducted testing with their SF-23 car at Fiorano, with Oliver Bearman and Arthur Leclerc behind the wheel. Additionally, Ferrari took advantage of the opportunity to test their 2022 car, which was designed to comply with the latest ground effect regulations, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.