How Hamilton's Debut At Ferrari Went

The fans outside the Ferrari test track in Fiorano were there well before dawn. Some climbed the safety fence, others brought ladders and moved away from the green mesh that had been installed to guard against prying eyes and camera lenses.

At one point the growing Tifosi crowd numbered 5 or 6 people, each with their necks craned attempting to catch a glimpse of Lewis Hamilton's first lap in a Ferrari F1 automotive.

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Some held up their cell phones attempting to film him, lots of them wrapped in Ferrari protective cases.

Some whistled, some cheered. History was being made before their eyes as Hamilton began his latest chapter in F1's most famous team.

This test, a part of F1's permitted testing program for previous cars, was never intended for fans or open to the media, who stood unanimously outside, but Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari reignited excitement throughout the Scuderia.

Shortly after setting off for his first setup lap at 09:16, his Ferrari team posted a brief 25-second video on their social media channels, stating: “We are entering a brand new era. Lewis Hamilton completes his first lap in a Ferrari!

The recording shows him leaving the famous Fiorano office, which once belonged to Enzo Ferrari.

Watch: Hamilton makes his Ferrari F1 test debut at Fiorano

Hamilton is wearing a red Ferrari jumpsuit and racing shoes, in addition to a yellow helmet, much like the one he first wore on a karting track in tribute to his hero, Ayrton Senna.

He was filmed entering the garage in Fiorano and smiling wryly before putting on his helmet and entering the cockpit.

The footage shows him taking to the track with the racing number 44 on the shark fin of a 2023 Ferrari SF-23.

The weather is cloudy and humid, so it was no surprise that the installation lap was slow on a greasy track and there was a risk of rain.

Maybe the rain is random. In some Italian traditions, rain is taken into account an indication of fine luck. On a marriage day in Italy they are saying “sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata” – translated it means “wet bride, happy bride”.

Despite the clouds, the sensation is that Hamilton is already on the appropriate track. There are comments on social media that he looks much cooler in Ferrari red than he ever did in a Mercedes.

The published staged photos will definitely prove that he feels comfortable, maybe even greater than he expected.

After completing his laps, Hamilton walked to the fence and greeted fans outside the track.

Lewis Hamilton helmet, Ferrari

Photo: Ferrari

Since he announced he was leaving Mercedes for Ferrari 12 months ago, there was a queue of talking heads warning the 40-year-old that he’ll face a cultural challenge at Ferrari.

It made sense. The language barrier, racing with a Ferrari engine and the unique way Ferrari operates could be latest to Hamilton.

Nevertheless, he correctly selected a team near him that helped him integrate. His company, Project Forty Four, has grown and is hiring several latest employees.

Commercial manager Kel Akpobire joined eight months ago from global talent agency CAA. Global communications specialist Jo Livingston, who worked with Hamilton at public relations firm Freuds, also joined the team, together with legal director Andin Fonyonga.

They join a team that features Ellen Kolby Hansen, who has been with Hamilton since his time at McLaren, where she worked as a driver liaison. The operation is led by Marc Hynes, a former racing driver and Hamilton's most trusted lieutenant.

Fans in Fiorano

Photo: Davide Cavazza

The company's latest addition is Angela Cullen, Hamilton's physiotherapist, who accompanied him at Mercedes for six of his seven world titles.

By surrounding himself with people he knows and trusts, who work within the background, Hamilton might be free to shape relationships at Ferrari.

One of the ways Michael Schumacher established a partnership with Ferrari when he joined the team from Benetton in 1996 was not only through his famous work ethic or the undeniable fact that he never publicly criticized the team. It went deeper.

Schumacher was capable of discover what was necessary to his Ferrari team, and in doing so he frolicked attending to know the staff, learning their names, birthdays, children's names and their interests.

Hamilton will likely adopt the identical principles to assist him. So, while all the eye is targeted on his first laps at Ferrari, the true preparatory work now begins with constructing relationships throughout the team, whose full support he needs if he’s to win his eighth world title.