Securing the top position during the morning session of the second pre-season testing, Lewis Hamilton is beginning to form a connection with his new ride, the Ferrari 2025 Formula 1 car. Having shifted gears from his long-standing collaboration with Mercedes, Hamilton is now preparing for his inaugural season with Ferrari.
His final year with Mercedes was fraught with difficulties, with Hamilton grappling to adapt to the erratic performance of the W15 car, which ultimately resulted in a loss to teammate George Russell. This has led to doubts about whether the British racing driver will be able to recover his innate velocity in this fresh setting. However, Hamilton seems content with the progress so far.
Hamilton’s second stint in Bahrain with the SF-25 concluded with him setting the fastest time, although this record was later surpassed by Williams’ Carlos Sainz, the man he replaced. Yet, the multiple F1 champion is optimistic, stating that he is gradually becoming attuned to Ferrari’s latest offering, a vehicle he hopes will carry him to an unprecedented eighth title victory.
“I am really enjoying the car. We’re slowly bonding,” Hamilton shared. He also added that while the previous day was mediocre, they were able to complete their run-plan, even though he wasn’t directing any setup changes or guiding the car’s development. The day provided him with an opportunity to delve deeper into coordinating with his engineer.
Owing to a lack of any unpleasant surprises with the SF-25, Ferrari’s spirits are high. The driving responsibilities were shared again after the one-hour break, with Charles Leclerc taking the wheel and securing the third position, just 0.052 seconds behind Hamilton.
Before his turn in the driver’s seat, the Monaco-based racer divulged that the Maranello team is yet to encounter any unpleasant surprises with their revamped contender. However, he did add a word of caution, stating, “It’s only testing. Everyone is hiding their true performance but the feeling is pretty good. No bad surprise, but too early to judge [the] performance.”
As the world watches and speculates, it remains to be seen if Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will yield the success he hopes for. Will this new alliance lead to an eighth world title for Hamilton, or will it be another season of adjustments and learning? One thing is certain, the journey will be thrilling to watch.