Lewis Hamilton is about to make his Ferrari on-track debut in simply two weeks’ time, Motorsport.com understands – because the Scuderia makes essentially the most of latest, extra restrictive FIA laws surrounding non-public testing with older equipment.
As much as final season, there was no restrict on how a lot operating was allowed with two- to four-year-old vehicles, even for normal race drivers; the foundations had been tweaked for 2025 after Max Verstappen examined Pink Bull’s 2022 challenger at Imola again in June final 12 months, as his staff strained to remedy its RB20’s points with kerb-riding.
Formulation 1’s sporting laws issued by the FIA final December learn: “Every Competitor could full a most of 1 thousand (1000) kilometres of TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] in every calendar 12 months utilizing drivers entered within the Championship, or which they intend to enter within the Championship, such distance being accrued over a most of 4 (4) of the times allowed underneath Article 10.2f.”
As a consequence, Ferrari will deplete its 4 days and 1000km of testing this month to assist Hamilton acclimatise to his new staff forward of the 2025 marketing campaign, with a maiden run on the Italian staff’s residence Fiorano observe set to happen on 20 or 21 January relying on the climate.
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The Scuderia will then transfer on to Barcelona later this month, with the Catalan circuit booked for at the very least 4 days. This may give the squad some wiggle room in case rain throws a spanner within the works, as it is going to be in a position to run on essentially the most beneficial three days – bringing the whole as much as the allowed 4 days of testing.
One other resolution but to be made is whether or not Hamilton will drive Ferrari’s SF-23 or its predecessor from 2022, the F1-75.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23, in Fiorano
Photograph by: Davide Cavazza
Workforce principal Frederic Vasseur beforehand acknowledged that he was “not nervous in any respect” about Hamilton’s adaptation to the Maranello-based outfit, declaring that the document holder for world titles, grand prix wins, pole positions and podiums isn’t any rookie.
“We all know that we’ve a number of procedures to assimilate throughout this couple of days, however he’s skilled sufficient to do it,” the Frenchman added.
“We’ve the benefit to have the simulator and he’ll have the ability to do a race simulation and a qualifying simulation within the simulator, and to be absolutely ready with the steering wheel and all of the particularities of the automobile. However I’m not nervous about this, and it isn’t the most important problem.”
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In the meantime, Hamilton made his way of thinking clear in a LinkedIn put up final week.
“Shifting to Scuderia Ferrari, there’s rather a lot to replicate on,” the seven-time world champion wrote. “To anybody contemplating their subsequent transfer in 2025: embrace the change. Whether or not you are switching industries, studying a brand new talent, and even simply taking over new challenges, do not forget that reinvention is highly effective.”
Ferrari will reveal its new F1 automobile on 19 February – at some point after the official F1 launch in London, and one week earlier than official pre-season testing will get underneath method in Bahrain on 26 February.
On this article
Ben Vinel
Formulation 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
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