Driving a Ferrari one of the best feelings of my life

Lewis Hamilton has labelled his Ferrari Formula 1 testing debut “one of the best feelings of my life” after completing 30 laps at Fiorano.

Having spent two days getting up to speed with his new team in Maranello, Hamilton boarded the 2023 Ferrari SF-23 on a cold and foggy morning at the Scuderia’s private test track for his first laps in a Ferrari F1 car.

Despite the poor weather, hundreds of Italian fans lined the track to witness Ferrari’s star signing completing 30 laps in damp conditions, both on Pirelli wet and slick demo tyres. The 40-year-old’s Ferrari debut remained trouble-free, other than a few lock-ups in the chicane on a stone-cold and damp circuit.

After handing the Ferrari over to his new team-mate Charles Leclerc in the afternoon, Hamilton said he was overjoyed by his first day in red.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have many firsts in my career, from the first test to the first race, podium, win and championship, so I wasn’t sure how many more firsts I had,” Hamilton said. “But driving a Scuderia Ferrari car for the first time this morning was one of the best feelings of my life.

“When I started the car up and drove through that garage door, I had the biggest smile on my face. It reminded me of the very first time I tested a Formula 1 car, it was such an exciting and special moment, and here I am, almost twenty years later, feeling those emotions all over again.”

Hamilton went out of his way to greet the tifosi at the edge of the track after his test run was completed, and said he was “energised” by their famed passion.

“I already knew from the outside how passionate the Ferrari family is, from everyone in the team to the tifosi,” the seven-time world champion said. “But to now witness it first-hand as a Ferrari driver has been awe-inspiring.

“That passion runs through their veins and you can’t help but be energised by it. I’m so grateful for the love I have felt from everyone in Maranello this week, we have a lot of work to do but I can’t wait to get started.”

In the afternoon Leclerc completed 14 laps as the Monegasque also got his 2025 campaign under way.

The test took place under the watchful eye of Ferrari vice president Piero Ferrari, with Hamilton’s mother also travelling to Fiorano for the occasion.