Upbeat Hamilton feels start to life at Ferrari ‘couldn’t have gone better’ as he declares ‘sole focus’ of winning

Lewis Hamilton was in high spirits as he reflected on the first few pages of his new chapter at Ferrari, explaining that things “couldn’t have gone any better” since arriving in Maranello last month.

A year on from his bombshell move being announced, Hamilton finally made the switch from Mercedes – with whom he had raced since 2013 – over the winter, settling into the factory, meeting staff and completing initial track runs in older machinery.

This week, following a filming day at Fiorano, Hamilton got his first proper taste of Ferrari’s new SF-25 challenger during pre-season testing in Bahrain, with the seven-time World Champion setting the pace on the second morning of action.

“I think it’s a bit early to say, but I am really enjoying the car,” said Hamilton, when asked in a subsequent press conference if his first Ferrari feels better than the last Mercedes he drove in 2024. “We’re slowly bonding, I think.”

As for pushing the car to its limits, he added: “I mean, that’s what these days are about. It’s about exploring. At the moment, I think there’s still room to explore more.

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - FEBRUARY 27: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia Ferrari — Hamilton has been getting to grips with his new car, the SF-25

“Bit by bit, I’m just eking out a little bit more each time. All the settings are so different, so even just brake bias and all those sorts of things – it’s much different to what I had in the previous place.

“It’s not necessarily unlearning what I did before, but kind of relearning this new way of working and the way the car likes to be driven, as it likes to be driven differently. That’s a really fun journey, learning that.

“I can definitely feel the car underneath me; I feel like the car is responding to my inputs. Today was a positive, making those incremental steps with the set-up.”

With those points in mind, Hamilton praised Ferrari for the warm welcome he has received and the support offered from all departments in aiding his acclimatisation to an all-new environment over the last couple of months.

“I think how you start often is very important,” he said. “This past month couldn’t have gone any different and it couldn’t have gone any better. Things along the way, they had to happen. [The private test in] Barcelona had to happen. Every day has been significant and about building foundations.

“While we had to cram a lot in a small space of time, we haven’t rushed it. We’ve still taken our time, we’ve just been working flat out in the days – long, long, long days. That’s what we’re here for.

“It’s felt seamless, it’s felt easy in a sense of gelling with the team. We’ve not had to force it, it’s done it in its own time, and I feel at home.”

AS IT HAPPENED: All the action from Day 2 of 2025 pre-season testing in Bahrain

Before the conference concluded, Hamilton was asked about his focus and desire for more success, to which he said: “Right now, that’s my sole focus. Of course, I have other things like Mission 44, I have a team [and] work that we’re doing. I have space in my life for those different bits, but 99% or 98%, whatever you want to say, is all about this.

“This is what I love, this is what I grew up dreaming of. I don’t know why I have the hunger that I have, or the fight or the desire to keep doing what I’m doing to the level that I’m doing it, but I’m grateful I have it. I’m really grateful for this sport – it’s changed my life.

“I know I’ll do a lot more in this new chapter in my life, which I’m really excited about. I think right now it’s just about being present, really open-minded, trying to learn from all the engineers here who are experts and have their own experiences, and see how I can gel mine to work towards the goal that we all share.”