At the unveiling of the Ferrari SF-25, Lewis Hamilton didn’t hide his excitement about getting behind the wheel of his new car—his very first competition Ferrari.
A “surreal” dream has now come to life, as the seven-time world champion took to the Fiorano track in the afternoon, inheriting the cockpit from Charles Leclerc to complete his first laps.
Following Leclerc’s morning session with the Ferrari SF-25, Lewis Hamilton had his turn to take control of the latest single-seater from Maranello, experiencing firsthand the car that will accompany him throughout the 2025 season.
At approximately 1:45 PM, Hamilton made his debut on the track with the Ferrari SF-25, immediately acknowledging the enthusiastic crowd that had gathered at Fiorano to witness the first laps of the new car with its star-studded lineup.
Having observed the morning session from the garage, the British driver finally climbed into “his” SF-25. While he has previously driven other Ferrari single-seaters, Hamilton emphasized how special it felt to take the wheel of a car specifically designed for both him and Leclerc, rather than one tailored for a different lineup. It was a significant moment for him.
Like his Monegasque teammate, the seven-time world champion began his afternoon session with two installation laps to ensure that all systems were functioning properly following adjustments to his seat and pedal settings.
This crucial step was necessary to confirm that everything was in order before allowing Hamilton to begin his work program. Earlier in the day, Leclerc had completed several push laps, and now the British driver was set to do the same, providing initial feedback to the engineers—although, given the nature of the session, this was merely a filming day.
For Hamilton, after his extensive work in the simulator and previous runs with the SF-23 at Fiorano and the SF-24 in Barcelona during Pirelli’s testing sessions, this was another valuable opportunity to complete additional practice stints, further familiarizing himself with the Power Unit’s response and operational procedures of the Prancing Horse.
During his second stint, which lasted approximately seven laps, Hamilton even performed a practice start from the tight corner after the bridge, mirroring what Leclerc had done earlier in the day.
As per regulations, the Maranello team had a total of 200 kilometers available for both drivers, a distance not only useful for filming laps for sponsors but also crucial for system checks ahead of pre-season testing and the collection of initial performance data.