P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton is embarking on his first week with his new Formula 1 employer Ferrari for acclimatisation and testing.
The seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton arrived at Maranello on Monday at around 10:00 local time, preparing for the Testing of Previous Car (TPC) at Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit later in the week. Due to contractual obligations with Mercedes until the end of the year, Hamilton was unable to partake in the 2024 F1 post-season test at the Abu Dhabi circuit. After the winter break, Hamilton is now beginning work with Ferrari, one of F1’s most storied teams, and the sport’s most successful driver. He spent Monday meeting and engaging with the Ferrari team in Maranello, including his first engineering meeting with Race Engineer Riccardo Adami at 11:30 local time. Hamilton will also undergo a seat fitting, conduct simulator sessions, and hit the Fiorano track in a scarlet red F1 race car for the first time on Wednesday. This follows the tightened TPC regulations after Ferrari raised concerns stemming from Red Bull’s 2021 test with the RB18, limiting teams to 20 days of running and 1000km with primary drivers across four days. Hamilton will continue his preparation in Barcelona after this week, participating in further TPC running at the Spanish GP circuit later this month. His upcoming activities include the F175 launch event at London’s O2 Arena on February 18 and the launch of Ferrari’s 2025 car in Maranello on February 19. Finally, Hamilton will engage in pre-season testing from February 26-29, gearing up for the 2025 F1 campaign alongside his new teammate Charles Leclerc.
