F1 record champion “in Ferrari form”: Hamilton’s adaptation to Scuderia Ferrari exceeds expectations as seamless transition to the Italian team reported – Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited move to Scuderia Ferrari is off to a promising start, with early test sessions suggesting he will need little time to adjust to his new surroundings. Despite the immense pressure of joining the most storied team in F1 history, Hamilton has shown impressive speed, even outpacing team-mate Charles Leclerc at times during recent Pirelli tyre tests.
The transition from Mercedes to Ferrari is proving smoother than many expected, with Hamilton adapting quickly to the Ferrari machinery. According to reports in the Italian media, the seven-time world champion already appears to be in what they call “Ferrari form”.
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Hamilton’s first Ferrari laps mark new era at Maranello
22 January 2025 was a momentous day in Formula One history. The first glimpses of Hamilton in Ferrari red sent shockwaves through the motorsport world. The British driver, who had spent more than a decade with Mercedes, completed his first laps at Fiorano, Ferrari’s private test track, before heading to Barcelona for more runs.
In Spain, Hamilton’s early performance was nothing short of impressive. Despite a minor incident, he managed to set competitive lap times, even outpacing his new team-mate Leclerc at times. It was an early indication that Hamilton’s adjustment period at Ferrari might be much shorter than initially predicted.
Although Leclerc eventually regained the lead by the end of the test sessions, the fact that Hamilton was able to match or even beat his pace at times suggests that the 40-year-old driver has settled in surprisingly quickly at the wheel of the Ferrari SF-24.
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Hamilton’s Mercedes struggles against Ferrari’s suitability
Italian sports newspaper *La Gazzetta dello Sport* has provided an interesting analysis of why Hamilton has adapted so quickly to Ferrari’s cars. According to their report, Hamilton’s struggles with Mercedes’ latest machines may have contributed to his quick transition.
Over the past few seasons, Hamilton has often expressed his frustration with Mercedes’ unpredictable and inconsistent handling. While his former team-mate George Russell was able to extract better performances from the same machines, Hamilton often found himself struggling with the car’s balance and grip limitations.
By contrast, Ferrari’s latest models, despite their own challenges, seem to suit Hamilton’s driving style much better. The SF-23, a car widely regarded as difficult to drive, reportedly felt much more natural to Hamilton than it had in his final years at Mercedes. The newspaper concludes that Hamilton has “instantly” adapted to Ferrari’s cars and feels more confident behind the wheel than he did in his final seasons with the Silver Arrows.
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What comes next? Bahrain test to provide first real benchmark
While Hamilton’s early test performances have been promising, the real test comes at the official pre-season test in Bahrain. From 26-28 February, the teams will gather at the Bahrain International Circuit to put their 2025 challengers through their paces ahead of the season opener.
This test will provide a much clearer picture of how Hamilton fares not only against his team-mate, but also against the rest of the grid. It will be the first real indicator of where Ferrari stand in the pecking order and whether Hamilton can challenge for the title in his debut season with the Scuderia.
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The unanswered question: What if Hamilton had joined Ferrari earlier?
As Hamilton embarks on this new chapter, one question remains: What if he had made the move to Ferrari earlier? Given his apparent ease in adapting to Ferrari’s machinery, some may wonder what he could have achieved had he joined the team between 2022 and 2024.
Would Ferrari’s latest cars have given him a better platform to challenge for more titles? Could he have ended Red Bull’s dominance sooner? While these are questions that can never be definitively answered, Hamilton’s strong start at Ferrari suggests he may have found a car that suits him far better than the last few years of Mercedes designs.
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A championship contender in the making?
It is still early days, but the signs are encouraging for Hamilton and Ferrari. If his adaptation continues at this rate and Ferrari deliver a competitive package in 2025, the F1 world could see a fierce championship battle between Hamilton, Leclerc and the dominant forces at Red Bull.
One thing is certain: Hamilton’s journey with Ferrari is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting stories in modern F1.
READ MORE – Who are Hamilton’s alleged “enemies” in Ferrari?
MORE F1 NEWS – FIA dictator president now turns on F1 fans
The world appears as though the era of the dictator is nigh. Russia decided in 2021 they wished to re-draw the UN agreed territories following World War II and so invaded Ukraine with president Putin asserting the former Soviet state was in fact “not a proper country.”
Formula One appears to be suffering a similar fate and whilst the teams and drivers’ are not yet facing a takeover by force, sinister forces are at work which are now to affect all the stakeholders within the most watched annual sporting series in the world.
Lewis Hamilton was weeping tears of regret as his Mercedes team decided not to pit him for fresh rubber during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Meanwhile Max Verstappen had been given new tyres by his Red Bull team and blew past the Mercedes driver who was leading the race to claim his first F1 drivers’ title, whilst simultaneously denying Hamilton of the much coveted eight world championship…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
