Lewis Hamilton reckons he’s “slowly bonding” along with his Ferrari after notching up a complete of 115 laps in his new challenger for 2025.
Hamilton switched to the Italian group within the winter and had made no secret of the struggles he had along with his Mercedes from final season.
The seven-time F1 world champion was collaborating in pre-season testing in Bahrain, the place he says he’s attending to grips with the SF-25.
He stated: “It’s a bit early to say however I’m actually having fun with the automobile. We’re slowly bonding.
“Yesterday was a so-so day. It was OK. However yesterday we obtained by way of all of our run plan.
“We’re testing a bunch of issues. So I’m not doing set-up adjustments or directing the place I need the automobile to go. We’re simply going by way of the motions.
“At the moment was a bit extra of attending to discover a little bit of my interplay with my engineer. Up to now I actually get pleasure from driving this automobile.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari SF-25
Picture by: Ferrari
Hamilton spent 12 seasons with Mercedes and says it’s taking him time to regulate to driving a Ferrari F1 automobile for the primary time in his profession and in consequence is working by way of totally different set-up choices.
He added: “In the mean time, there’s nonetheless room to discover extra, and I am simply, little by little, eking out a little bit bit extra every time.
“All of the settings are so totally different. So even simply brake bias and all these kinds of issues, it is a lot totally different to what I had within the earlier place.
“It’s not essentially unlearning what I did earlier than, however type of relearning this new method of working and the place the automobile likes to be pushed.
“It likes to be pushed otherwise. And that is a extremely enjoyable journey studying that. However in the mean time, it feels that we positively really feel the automobile beneath me.
“I really feel that the automobile is responding to my inputs. At the moment was a optimistic day, and making these incremental steps with the set-up. There’s nonetheless extra work to do.”
Hamilton seems reinvigorated and buoyed by his change, saying his arrival at Ferrari couldn’t have gone any higher.
He was watched in Bahrain by Ferrari chairman, John Elkann, who made a uncommon look at testing.
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari, John Elkann, Ferrari Chairman and CEO
Picture by: Clive Rose / Motorsport Photos
Hamilton stated: “The way you begin typically is essential. This previous month could not have gone any totally different, and it could not have gone any higher.
“The times that we have had – simply on daily basis has been important and actually about simply constructing basis, and while we’ve to cram loads in a small area of time, we’ve not rushed it.
“We nonetheless have taken the time however we’ve simply been working flat out within the days, lengthy, lengthy, lengthy days, however that is what we’re right here for, proper?
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“I actually do assume it’s going to pay dividends transferring forwards, the work that has gone on, the main focus, the communication, the adjustments that we have made, however there can be extra additionally over the six to eight months.
“That is going to be constantly evolving, however it felt seamless. It is felt simple in a way of gelling with the group. We’ve not needed to drive it. It is finished it in its personal time, and I really feel at dwelling.”
Images from the Bahrain Pre-Season Testing – Day 2
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Ben Hunt
System 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
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