Hamilton Begins Ferrari Era with Preseason Testing in Bahrain

Lewis Hamilton officially kicked off his Ferrari career Wednesday, taking to the track in the iconic red car for preseason testing in Bahrain, The Associated Press reports.

The highly anticipated debut marks the next chapter in Hamilton’s quest for a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 world title.

The 40-year-old British driver made the high-profile switch to Ferrari this season after a 12-year stint with Mercedes, where he secured six of his seven world championships. Hamilton’s departure from the “Silver Arrows” and arrival at Ferrari has generated immense excitement within the motorsport world.

Formula 1’s official social media channels marked the occasion with a simple yet powerful message: “Lewis Hamilton. Ferrari driver,” accompanied by a heart emoji, as Hamilton drove out of the garage in his No. 44 car.

Hamilton, who officially joined the team last month, will partner with Charles Leclerc, who has been with Ferrari since 2019, for the 2025 season.

During Wednesday’s morning session, where teams are limited to one car on track, Hamilton shared the asphalt with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian rookie who has filled Hamilton’s former seat at Mercedes. Also participating in the testing were Liam Lawson (partnering with Max Verstappen at Red Bull), Oscar Piastri of McLaren, and veteran Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

However, the usefulness of this year’s preseason testing in accurately predicting race pace may be limited. Unusually cool and windy weather conditions in Bahrain, atypical for a typical race weekend, could skew the data. Furthermore, unlike last year, Bahrain is not hosting the opening race of the season. The 2025 F1 season will commence with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16.