Lewis Hamilton's eagerly awaited first appearance for Ferrari will take place in early 2024, although it will not happen during the post-season Abu Dhabi test, as originally hoped. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion is set to join the Ferrari team for the 2025 season after deciding to part ways with Mercedes at the end of 2023, marking the conclusion of a 12-year partnership with the German manufacturer.
While there was some hope within Ferrari that they could accelerate the integration of Hamilton into their team by giving him an early run in one of their cars during the Abu Dhabi test, Mercedes has ruled this out. Hamilton is tied to several end-of-year promotional commitments with Mercedes, including an appearance for team sponsor Petronas on the same day as the Abu Dhabi test. As a result, Ferrari will have to wait until early next year to see Hamilton behind the wheel of a Ferrari car.
Ferrari plans to use its "Testing of Previous Cars" (TPC) days for Hamilton's first run, which are permitted under F1's technical regulations. These tests allow teams to run cars from the past three seasons, and it is expected that Ferrari will give Hamilton the chance to drive their 2022 F1-75 car, which was the team's challenger for the first year of the new ground effect regulations. The test will likely take place at Ferrari's Fiorano circuit, located just next to their Maranello factory.
Team principal Fred Vasseur is confident that Hamilton's extensive experience in F1 will allow him to get up to speed quickly with Ferrari's car and operations. "I'm not sure that he needs tons of hours of acclimatization," Vasseur stated. "He is experienced enough to be quick on the first day, or at least very soon." Vasseur believes that one or two TPC days, combined with the official pre-season testing in Bahrain, will be sufficient for Hamilton to familiarize himself with the team and its car before the 2025 season begins.
Although Vasseur and the team are already working on Hamilton's acclimatization plan, Vasseur emphasized that the preparations are focused on the 2025 season, and his immediate focus is not on Hamilton’s involvement with the current race team. The goal is to integrate Hamilton into Ferrari's operations smoothly and ensure he is fully prepared for his new role in the team, working towards a successful campaign starting in 2025.
Overall, while Ferrari will not get the chance to test Hamilton during the post-season, they remain confident that their carefully planned approach will allow the British driver to hit the ground running when he officially joins them in 2025.
