When will Lewis Hamilton make his Ferrari debut in F1 2025? Testing, race schedule, contract length and more | Formula 1 news

The biggest move ever for Formula 1 drivers has occurred ahead of the new 2025 season, as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton begins his first year at Ferrari.

Stay up to date with all the key dates and events here during pre-season as the early stages of one of the most anticipated leagues in sport begin…

Hamilton starts his life at Ferrari

After officially becoming a Ferrari driver on New Year's Day, the new Scuderia star has signed He made his first visit to their famous headquarters on January 20.

Given the scale of the move, the first images and footage from Hamilton's first day in Maranello were always going to make international headlines, and that was proven as soon as the first image appeared on social media.

Wearing a black suit and coat, Hamilton posed for his first photo outside the old home of team founder Enzo Ferrari – which is located in the square that now bears the name of Michael Schumacher, the team's most successful driver – and next to one of the F40 cars of the Italian manufacturer, Lewis. Favorite sports car.

From there, Hamilton met with team and company management before beginning what Ferrari described as a “full immersion programme” to get to know his new teammates, departments and work practices.

“There are some days that you know you will remember forever, and today, my first as a Scuderia Ferrari HP driver, is one of those days,” Hamilton said. “I've been fortunate enough to achieve things in my career that I never thought were possible, but part of me has always held on to the dream of racing in red. I couldn't be happier to achieve that dream today.”

These adaptations continued the next day, as the first photo of him wearing the iconic red Ferrari was revealed on social media.

When will Hamilton drive a Ferrari for the first time?

Hamilton's first race in one of Ferrari's iconic red cars is expected to take place this week.

While the exact date and time for the first start is weather permitting, what we know so far is that Hamilton's bow will come down to Scuderia. Fiorano The test track is adjacent to their factory in Maranello.

Ferrari's new 2025 car is still under development ahead of its launch and pre-season testing in February, but Formula 1 sporting regulations allow testing of previous cars (TPC), under certain restrictions, with teams this year able to run their cars from 2023. 2022 or 2021 Outside of the race weekends and official testing for 2025.

Ferrari will therefore take advantage of this rule to get Hamilton out on track early, and running in an older car will give Hamilton a first opportunity to get used to some of the unique characteristics of one of the Scuderia's cars, engines, systems and work. Practices on the track.

When will Hamilton make his first appearance as a Ferrari driver at a public event?

Team boss Frederic Vasseur confirmed before Christmas that a bespoke pre-season 'unveiling' event to celebrate the seven-time world champion's arrival at the Scuderia will not take place, but Hamilton will certainly join new team-mate Charles Leclerc and the rest of the team. – The 2025 F1 grid has been changed for the sport's special season launch event at the O2 in London February 18.

Hamilton will then take part in his first Ferrari launch the following day in Maranello February 19.

When will Hamilton drive a Ferrari for the first time in 2025?

While Hamilton and Leclerc are likely to drive their new 2025 car at the Fiorano circuit With one of the team's permitted 'filming days' following its launch on February 19, the duo's full appearances in the team's latest rival in the Bahrain Test will come from February 26-28.

Hamilton and Leclerc will share driving duties over the three days in the Middle East, meaning they will stay on track for a day and a half each.

When and where will he make his Ferrari racing debut?

Melbourne's Albert Park will be the venue for Hamilton's first weekend of racing as a Ferrari driver March 14-16 With the Australian Grand Prix returning to host the 2025 season opener.

All 24 weekends in the new season live on Sky Sports F1.

How long is his contract with Ferrari?

Ferrari announced that they have signed Hamilton L “Multi-year” contract when the move was announced last February. Although the exact duration has not been publicly specified, the “multi-year” would certainly cover the 2025 and 2026 seasons and could also contain options for the Briton to continue after that.

Hamilton, who turns 40 on January 7, said in April 2024, “I will continue to race well into my 40s,” after previously downplaying the chances of continuing his career for a long time.

The 2025 season marks Hamilton's 19th consecutive season on the Formula 1 grid.

What else is different for Hamilton in 2025?

In what was considered an important return for his off-track team during his first year at Ferrari, Former performance coach of Hamilton Angela Cullen He returned to work with the Brit after two seasons away. Colin was almost entirely present at Hamilton's side on race weekends from 2016 to early 2023, when they parted ways.

Hamilton's new race engineer is expected to be the Italian Ricardo AdamiWho held the same role for Carlos Sainz and before him Sebastian Vettel. Adami will look to build a successful relationship with Hamilton like Peter “Bono” Bonnington at Mercedes.

Why did Hamilton choose to join Ferrari?

It was a shock of truly seismic proportions when it emerged on February 1, 2024 that Hamilton would leave Mercedes at the end of that year to join rival Ferrari.

Triggering the break clause in what was previously thought to be a two-year fixed Mercedes deal, which was agreed just five months ago, Hamilton said that although it was “the hardest decision I think I've ever had to make”. In choosing to leave, he concluded that “in the end I am writing my story and I felt it was time to start a new chapter.”

How did Hamilton perform in the 2024 season?

In what was always going to be an unusual 2024 season for Hamilton and Mercedes given his year-end exit was announced before the season even started, the Briton He finished outside the top six in the Drivers' Championship (seventh) for the first time In his career, he was surpassed by his teammate George Russell.

Hamilton faced difficulty in reconciling his style with the 2024 Mercedes car, which is suitable for some tracks and conditions but falters at others. Hamilton’s problems appeared in qualifying trials, where the 104-time record holder was defeated head-on by Russell and suffered. Some early surprise exits, leaving him at the bottom of the grid and often putting his weekends in jeopardy.

However, despite this, there were some notable highs – particularly on race days – none higher than an impressive win in changeable conditions at his home British Grand Prix, a record ninth win in a single Grand Prix and a record-extending 104th place to end the season. . A career worst of 56 races without a win.

He inherited 105th place when teammate Russell was ruled out of the Belgian Grand Prix, while the final weeks of his Mercedes career oscillated between unusually dismal performances – including an early spin in Austin and a 12th-place finish in an error-strewn race in Qatar – And excitement. A return from poor qualifying performances in Las Vegas and Mercedes' farewell in Abu Dhabi.

Who replaced Hamilton at Mercedes?

Wearing the boots of the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time is one of the sport's youngest ever debutants, an 18-year-old Italian. Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli, a Mercedes protégé who has been on the team's books since 2019, won two races in his only year in Formula 2 in 2024, and has quickly moved up the motorsport ladder to one of the most prominent seats on the grid in a clear display of strength. Confidence in his potential from team boss Toto Wolff.

Watch all 24 weekends of the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian Grand Prix on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports now – no contract, cancel anytime