P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton’s father has said that his son’s opening outing with the Ferrari F1 team “feels just like” his first day with the McLaren team 18 years ago.
Anthony Hamilton took his son to Maranello to witness his first outing in a Ferrari, the SF-23 from the 2023 season, at the team’s Fiorano test venue. Thousands of people flocked to see the seven-time F1 champion, donning a striking yellow helmet with red accents, hit the track in a Ferrari. There is a global buzz among motorsport fans following Hamilton’s arrival in Italy, with social media posts about his debut day receiving millions of likes on Instagram. Hamilton Sr, who has supported his son since his karting days, shared that the experience reminded him of his early days with McLaren back in 2007. Hamilton also mentioned that his son has trained rigorously, expressing full confidence in his focus and preparation leading up to his first race with Ferrari in Australia on March 16th. Having made his F1 debut at the Albert Park Circuit in 2008 with McLaren, Hamilton’s journey included memorable battles with Ferrari and noteworthy victories that solidified his status as one of the sport’s greats. The decision to leave McLaren in 2013 and join Mercedes raised eyebrows but ultimately led to further success, with Hamilton claiming six more world titles between 2014 and 2020. Rumors of Hamilton joining forces with Ferrari had circulated over the years, culminating in his surprising move to the Scuderia on a “multi-year” deal, departing from his long-standing collaboration with Mercedes and teaming up with Ferrari’s rising star, Charles Leclerc.
