Lewis Hamilton made his official debut at Ferrari with a day marked by his first drive in a Scuderia single-seater. A moment that the team described as “historic”. The running took place in the presence of its new race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
It was also under the eyes of Piero Ferrari, vice president of the brand, that the seven-time F1 world champion completed 30 laps of the Fiorano circuit, or nearly 90 kilometers covered at a limited pace in the Ferrari SF-23. of 2023.
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience many firsts in my career, from the first test to the first race, to the podium, to the victory and the championship. So I didn’t know how many more firsts I would have to experience , but driving a Ferrari for the first time this morning was one of the greatest feelings of my life.” Hamilton said.
“When I started the car and walked through the garage door, I had the biggest smile. It reminded me of the very first time I tested a Formula 1 car, it was a moment so exciting and special, and here I am, almost twenty years later, feeling those emotions again.”
“I already knew, from the outside, how passionate the Ferrari family is, from everyone on the team to the fans! But being a direct witness to it as a Ferrari driver was a real source of inspiration of inspiration.”
“This passion runs through their veins and you can’t help but draw energy from it. I’m so grateful for the love I felt from everyone in Maranello this week, we Lots of work to do but I can’t wait to get started.”
A short drive to kick off Leclerc’s season
Charles Leclerc took over this afternoon, but he was unable to take advantage of this run due to the rain, with 14 laps. He was also at the wheel of the SF-23, the F1-75 was ultimately not used.
-“The first day back in the car is always a great feeling after the holidays. It’s good to be back on the track, to see that so many fans have come to see us. Feeling all this excitement around the team is very motivating.”
“It was a good day, although it was a bit rainy when I was driving. Of course, it was nice to see Lewis take his first laps behind the wheel of a Ferrari, which was a special moment for the team and for him now I can’t wait to be back in the car next week (at Barcelona) and start working hard for the upcoming season.
Frédéric Vasseur, the Maranello team principal, had an important day seeing the driver he had worked with almost 20 years ago make his debut in red: “Like every year, the first time you take to the track, it’s a bit like going back to school and it’s a very moving feeling.”
“Especially today, because it was Lewis’ first day with the team. Welcoming a new driver is always a big moment. Maybe today was less special for Charles, but it was good to see him in good shape, relaxed and enthusiastic about getting back into racing.”
“On the technical side, Charles and Lewis completed their laps in unfavorable weather conditions, but they got back into the swing of things and immersed themselves in the track environment before the first proper practice sessions. said which will take place in a month in Bahrain It was also a warm-up for the team in the garage. It was the only goal of this day.
