Lewis Hamilton has already taken the wheel of the SF-25. His official debut with Ferrari in the Formula 1 tests has been discreet in terms of time, but the personal feelings of the seven-time world champion have been very positive. The Briton is cautious after the first day, but there is no doubt that he is ready to take on the world championship
Hamilton makes his debut
“It’s too early to really know how the performance will be, but everything seems to be going well. As a team, we are working to optimize each lap and better understand the car.”
Ferrari have been satisfied with how the first day of practice went, where they completed the first day’s program. In the morning it was the Briton, and in the afternoon, Leclerc was among the fastest
“The tests are always exciting. It’s the first time you see what everyone else has been working on and you can start to get an idea of the car and next year. Right now we’re focusing on experimenting with different things, collecting as much data as possible and getting to know the car,” explained the British driver.
Hamilton says the priority now is to understand every detail of the SF-25 and find the best configuration to maximize its performance.
“Our program is to try different things, collect as much data as possible and familiarize ourselves with the car. We have already learned a lot today. It is too early to really understand the absolute values, but everything seems to be going in the right direction. As a team, we are working on the best way to optimize each outing on the track,” the Briton explained.
Charles Leclerc, optimistic
Leclerc was also satisfied with the first day of testing. The Monegasque faces a season at Ferrari where a lot is at stake. His knowledge of the car should give him a slight advantage with the arrival of a new team-mate, but of course, that new team-mate is a seven-time world champion, and he has shown in his long career that getting a new car is not an obstacle for him.
Charles Leclerc knows that his knowledge is a small advantage, but it also puts great pressure on him. Having a teammate with such a track record makes him step up in the fight for the drivers’ title.
Ferrari is going all out for the World Championship
Ferrari is enduring the worst streak in its history without winning an F1 World Championship, and believes the time has come to put an end to it. Last season, it was the best team in the second half of the championship, and they want to start the season with the same momentum that led them to fight for the constructors’ championship until the last race.
The Italian team is aware of the rivalry and tension that can be generated if both Leclerc and Hamilton get involved in the fight for the world championship. But they hope that this fight and tension will translate into a significant number of points for the team. They just hope it’s a fight with respect for the general interests.
Hamilton, the assault on the world championship
But Hamilton has not joined Ferrari to take it easy. After a successful career linked to Mercedes, his intention is to end his sporting career with the most important team in F1. Winning with Ferrari would be the culmination of an incredible career, and given the Briton’s determination, he may have a chance of achieving it. We will see how Leclerc responds to one of the biggest challenges he has faced since becoming a professional driver.