What Hamilton found so "invigorating" from fresh start at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton has defined why he’s so ‘invigorated’ by his transfer to Ferrari as he made his first UK look for the squad at System 1’s season launch occasion.

When Hamilton was placed on the spot to sum up his high-profile transfer to the Scuderia in a single phrase, the seven-time world champion used “invigorating”, feeding off the vitality from the 15,000 followers within the enviornment that gave him the largest reception of the night time.

“The phrase that I am pondering of is invigorating as a result of I really feel so vigorous and every part is new,” he mentioned. “I am so proud to be a part of the staff, one thing proud and thrilling for me.”

As Ferrari launches its precise 2025 F1 automobile in Maranello on Wednesday, the day after unveiling the SF-25’s new livery, Hamilton additional opened up on his ‘revitalising’ expertise to date.

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On the age of 40, the Briton thought he had seen it throughout 20 years in F1. However having first jumped right into a Ferrari F1 automobile for a filming day in January at Fiorano has additional drilled residence the concept he wanted a brand new problem after a 12-year stint with Mercedes.

“I am actually aware of the truth that there are solely a handful of particular first occasions in life, the primary kiss, the primary date, the primary time of college, the primary time within the job. I truthfully I believed that I might had all my firsts and nothing was ever going to be new once more,” he defined in a video launched by Ferrari. “And on condition that I’ve raced for thus lengthy, even I am shocked at simply how a lot I nonetheless love what I do, and it felt so new.

“I bear in mind placing my swimsuit on, moving into the cockpit, and simply the thrill that I had was very paying homage to perhaps the primary time that I received to step in a System 1 automobile after I was like 21 years outdated, 20 years in the past. However this time was completely different, as a result of I’ve at all times imagined what it might be like sitting within the cockpit surrounded by pink.”

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photograph by: Davide Cavazza

He labelled the 2023 Ferrari SF-23 he drove that day as no different automobile he has ever pushed in F1, even all the way down to the vibrations of Ferrari’s engine. He has since additionally sampled the 2024 vehicles at testing for Pirelli in Barcelona.

“It is nothing just like the automobile that I had earlier than over the past 10, 12, 17 years,” he mentioned. “It is distinctive in its personal, and to really feel the vibration of a Ferrari engine for the primary time, wow. That is what I believe in the end put the largest smile on my face.

“I might at all times seen all of the drivers which have come earlier than me in pink, and questioned how that might look on me. And it is an actual honour to have the ability to put on this badge and to put on this swimsuit. So I hope I swag it out and make it look good.

“I might been ready such a very long time for it, so firing the automobile up, it is like such a brand new, uncharted journey, and it is essentially the most thrilling factor that is occurred to me in so long as I can bear in mind. I knew that I might see the tifosi on the bridge and to lastly get to Flip 1 and see them down there, that was wonderful to see. And assembly the staff, I used to be blown away simply by the reception and the eagerness of the individuals.”