In his first encounter with Ferrari’s SF-25, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton demonstrated an electrifying energy that left spectators and analysts alike buzzing. This burst of life was evident despite a minor misstep during F1 2025 pre-season testing in Bahrain. F1 analyst Alex Brundle, son of esteemed Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle, revealed that this was Hamilton’s true initiation into his new high-powered Ferrari.
Hamilton, who migrated from Mercedes to the iconic Italian team during the off-season, is preparing for his debut season in Ferrari red. Over the past month, he has been engaged in rigorous testing, piloting the 2023 Ferrari model on the team’s Fiorano test track and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Additionally, he took the 2024 car for a spin, participating in a Pirelli tyre test at the Spanish Grand Prix venue.
This high-stakes preparation continued last week when Hamilton, alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc, returned to Fiorano to put the new SF-25 through its paces. Both drivers were allowed to clock up to 100 kilometers on the new machine.
However, Brundle suggests that Hamilton’s stint on the narrow and bumpy Fiorano circuit offered little value to the racing veteran. The real test, he asserts, was when Hamilton took the Ferrari for a spin in Bahrain. Even as the 40-year-old driver grappled with understeer, leading to a minor blip at Turn 11, Brundle insists that Hamilton appeared rejuvenated and ready to take on the track.
From his trackside position during the live broadcast of the testing, Brundle shared his excitement, saying: “How great is it to see Lewis Hamilton pounding round in a Ferrari? He looks energised. He’s looked energised all the way through the off-season.”
Brundle further highlighted that Hamilton’s understeer moment, which saw him slightly overshoot the apex at Turn 11, was a minor hiccup in an otherwise stable performance. The experienced driver managed to recover swiftly, continuing his run after a brief detour over the outside kerb.
Hamilton’s initial run was limited, serving more as an opportunity to familiarize himself with the car’s behavior in different conditions. According to Brundle, the limited pre-season run might influence the car’s performance moving forward.
Brundle voiced his anticipation for the upcoming season, stating, “It’s going to be fascinating to see an entirely motivated and energised Lewis move that car forward through these three days and then into the beginning of this season. I really can’t wait.”
As the evening session in Bahrain approached, Hamilton was scheduled to hand over the SF-25 to Leclerc. However, the team’s plans for the remaining two days of the test remained undisclosed at the time of reporting.
