Inside Lewis Hamilton's debut Ferrari F1 test as Brit left 'energised' by huge crowd

Almost a twelvemonth aft the announcement of his determination to articulation Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton yet got to thrust 1 of the Italian team's F1 cars for the archetypal clip connected Wednesday

Lewis Hamilton said his archetypal acquisition of driving a Ferrari F1 car was "one of the champion feelings of my life".

Hamilton started enactment for his caller squad this week and travelled to their basal successful Maranello, Italy, to conscionable his colleagues. And yesterday helium got his archetypal sensation of Ferrari F1 machinery with a tally successful their 2023 car astir the Fiorano trial way adjacent doorway to the factory.

A immense assemblage of excited fans gathered astatine the circuit to cheer him on, immoderate waving Union Flags and galore much sporting Ferrari merchandise. Hamilton acknowledged them aft completing 30 laps arsenic helium emerged from a achromatic SUV to grin and question to them, portion his parent beamed arsenic she recorded the scenes connected her phone.

And afterwards the seven-time champion beamed: "Driving a Scuderia Ferrari car for the archetypal clip this greeting was 1 of the champion feelings of my life. When I started the car up and drove done that store door, I had the biggest grin connected my face.

"It reminded maine of the precise archetypal clip I tested a Formula 1 car, it was specified an breathtaking and peculiar moment, and present I am, astir 20 years later, feeling those emotions each implicit again.

"I already knew from the extracurricular however passionate the Ferrari household is, from everyone successful the squad to the Tifosi! But to present witnesser it first-hand arsenic a Ferrari operator has been awe-inspiring. That passionateness runs done their veins and you can't assistance but beryllium energised by it."

Weather conditions were acold from perfect with a dense fog covering the circuit, which was washed distant by drizzle which constricted team-mate Charles Leclerc to conscionable 14 laps of running. It was the archetypal of respective trial days Ferrari person organised to assistance get their caller signing up to speed.

Hamilton is besides acceptable to trial astatine the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya which has been booked retired by the squad for respective days of running. He volition past beryllium contiguous for the unveiling of his archetypal due Ferrari racing instrumentality astatine F1's play motorboat lawsuit astatine London's O2 Arena connected February 18.

And helium volition trial that for the archetypal clip successful Bahrain astatine the extremity of February earlier the play kicks disconnected with the Australian Grand Prix connected March 16.

Team main Frederic Vasseur said: "Charles and Lewis did their laps successful not the champion weather, but they got backmost successful the plaything of things and immersed themselves successful the way situation anterior to the archetypal due trial successful a month's clip successful Bahrain. It was besides a warm-up for the squad successful the garage. That was the sole intent of today."