Hamilton gets set for ‘very special’ first Ferrari home race as he shares ‘dream I’m working towards’

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that it will be “very special” to experience his first Formula 1 event as a Ferrari driver on the team’s home soil, while stressing that he is trying to take a “business as usual” approach to proceedings at Imola.

This weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix is one of two home races for the famous Italian marque on the 2025 calendar, with a round at Monza to follow in September, and thus marks another ‘first’ in Hamilton’s Ferrari journey.

LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the build-up ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix weekend

After walking through the paddock gates on Thursday, and having been greeted by the dedicated Tifosi around the track, Hamilton spoke to the media and shared how he is feeling heading into the weekend.

“I just feel like I’m at another race, but it’s obviously a very special race for us as a team,” said the seven-time World Champion. “I guess it’ll be different once I’m on track in the red car on the homeland of the team.

Enormity of Ferrari home debut hasn’t hit ‘business-as-usual’ Hamilton yet

“It’ll probably become more of a realisation through the weekend, but I’m coming to work – work as usual, business as usual – and I’m just super focused, so I’ve not had time to think about it.

“Of course, when I see the Tifosi, when I see people in the crowds, it probably will become more of a realisation that they’re actually looking at me this time as opposed to me out in a different car.”

Hamilton approaches the Imola round after a mixed start to life at Ferrari, with his results ranging from Sprint victories to Q2 exits – the SF-25 proving to be a difficult car for the Briton and team mate Charles Leclerc to tame.

Asked about his chances at Ferrari’s home track, and what victory would feel like, the Briton added: “I have no idea; I don’t know what to expect. That’s obviously what we’re working towards, but it’s not something I expect this weekend.

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 19: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia Ferrari — It has been a mixed start to the season for the seven-time champion and the team

“If you’ve seen our past races, the positions we’ve been in, we start the weekend really optimistic and then [there’s] the realisation of our true pace. I don’t know what the pace is going to be like this weekend.

“I’m hoping we’re able to extract more from the car, and that’s what we’ve been working towards this past two weeks. To get a good result, to get finally on the podium for Ferrari, that would be a first for me.

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix

“To look down and see the team, who for my whole career I’ve always watched… whether I’m on the podium or from the side watching on TV, you can see the passion and how much it means to not only the people in the team, but also to the Tifosi… that’s what I dream about, what I’m working towards.”

Ferrari sit fourth in the Teams’ Championship standings after the first six Grands Prix of the campaign, 152 points away from leaders McLaren, while Hamilton holds P7 in the Drivers’ battle, two spots behind Leclerc.