Ferrari followers, identified for his or her unwavering ardour, turned out in large numbers with over 5,000 Tifosi current at Fiorano to witness Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc take their first laps within the SF-25.
On Wednesday, Ferrari utilized the filming day guidelines to kick off their 2025 System 1 marketing campaign preparations. The pair accomplished 200 kilometers (124 miles) of their new automotive, marking its first on-track outing as Ferrari checked the automotive’s programs forward of the only pre-season check. This necessary session will happen from February 26 to twenty-eight on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit, the place all 10 groups will collect for the one unrestricted working earlier than the Australian Grand Prix. There, Hamilton will make historical past because the thirteenth British driver to race for Ferrari.
Ferrari followers couldn’t assist however joke about “tea time” throughout a pause in Hamilton’s SF-25 shakedown, highlighting their playful spirit and keenness. After Hamilton’s arrival from Mercedes, the Tifosi have been desperate to make him really feel at house at Maranello, and their enthusiasm was clear at Fiorano. Whereas simply over 1,000 followers attended Hamilton’s first check in January, the group greater than quintupled on Wednesday as followers flocked to witness the motion.
Based on Auto Racer, Ferrari supporters continued to fill the streets round Fiorano all through the day as Leclerc and Hamilton examined the SF-25 for the primary time. Charles Leclerc, taking the primary laps of the day, got here very near breaking the Fiorano monitor report, finishing a clean run with out points. Lewis Hamilton, too, loved an uninterrupted session, even managing 10 consecutive laps. Nevertheless, after his preliminary run, there was a big break in motion.
This hole, which lasted round half-hour, sparked lighthearted jokes among the many Tifosi who quipped it was “tea time” as they waited for Hamilton’s return to the monitor. Regardless of the delay, Lewis Hamilton resumed his runs with out additional issues as Ferrari turned their consideration to the upcoming Bahrain check.
The pre-season testing session on the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain Worldwide Circuit in Sakhir, scheduled for subsequent week, shall be Ferrari’s first actual alternative to measure their SF-25’s velocity towards their opponents. Hamilton may even be hoping {that a} extra acquainted monitor surroundings will ease his adjustment to the brand new automotive. Though the filming day on the Fiorano circuit went easily, Hamilton was 0.8 seconds slower than Leclerc throughout their runs. The British driver will little doubt be eager to shut that hole when the true motion begins in Bahrain, making certain he units the tempo alongside the Monegasque driver as he settles into his new crew.
Whereas Charles Leclerc is now coming into his seventh season with Ferrari, having joined from Sauber after only one yr in F1, the British driver’s arrival provides a brand new dynamic to the crew. As Leclerc has develop into a fixture at Maranello, Hamilton continues to be discovering his ft at Ferrari, with the 2025 season poised to be a defining yr for each drivers.