Ferrari has officially announced the dates for both the unveiling of their 2025 Formula 1 car and Lewis Hamilton’s first test of the car.
Ferrari has officially scheduled the unveiling of their 2025 Formula 1 car for February 19, 2025, at their Maranello headquarters. This is the day after the F1 75 launch event at the 02 in London, where all 10 Formula 1 teams and all 20 drivers will be present to launch their 2025 cars.
Team Principal Fred Vasseur has also indicated that Hamilton’s initial experience behind the wheel of a Ferrari will occur prior to the official launch.
The seven-time world champion is slated to participate in a test session utilizing a previous model, likely the 2022 F1-75, at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track. This approach aligns with Formula 1 regulations that permit limited testing with cars that are at least two years old, known as the Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) regulations.
Speaking to Autoracer.it, Vasseur confirmed that Lewis’ first taste of a Ferrari F1 car will take place on the 21st or 22nd January 2025.
Vasseur emphasized the challenges posed by winter conditions at this time of year, stating, “It will certainly depend on the weather—January is not an easy month.” Despite these potential obstacles, he expressed confidence in Hamilton’s ability to adapt swiftly, noting, “He’s not the rookie of the year. I’m not worried about this.”
Ferrari Media Centre
The move to Ferrari fulfills a long-standing ambition for Hamilton, who had contemplated driving for the Italian team since 2004. Vasseur recalled their early conversations, stating, “He had the project to drive for Ferrari in his mind for at least 22 or 23 years because we were discussing this in 2004.”
As Hamilton prepares to integrate into Ferrari’s operations, the team is making necessary adjustments to accommodate his arrival. One significant change involves the appointment of a new race engineer, as Hamilton’s long-term engineer, Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, will remain with Mercedes to work with their new driver, Kimi Antonelli. Vasseur confirmed that a replacement has been selected but did not disclose the individual’s identity.
Hamilton will be replacing Sainz who despite not being 100% happy with his performance at Ferrari, had four strong years. He now moves to Williams.
Vasseur also addressed the team’s approach to managing Hamilton, emphasizing that Ferrari does not intend to replicate Mercedes’ methods.
He stated, “The target is not to do a copy/paste of what Lewis is doing and try to attract all the people from Mercedes and to do a Mercedes team.” Instead, Ferrari aims to create a unique working environment tailored to their team’s strengths.
Ferrari Media Centre
The official pre-season testing is scheduled to take place in Bahrain from February 26 to 28, 2025. Hamilton’s participation in these sessions will be crucial for fine-tuning the car and building rapport with his new team. Vasseur expressed confidence in Hamilton’s readiness, stating, “We know that he will have a lot of procedures to assimilate during these couple of days but I think he’s experienced enough to do it.”
Ferrari’s focus remains on performance as they prepare for the upcoming season. Vasseur emphasized the importance of concentrating on the team’s objectives, stating, “We have to be focused on the season. It will be a very tight period between the first day and the launch, a matter of weeks.”
As the countdown to the 2025 season continues, the anticipation surrounding Hamilton’s debut with Ferrari is palpable. The combination of Hamilton’s experience and Ferrari’s commitment to excellence sets the stage for a compelling chapter in Formula 1 history.
