On track at 9:16, thirty laps, and some hard braking: here’s Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton has completed his first day driving the Red Car .

A historic day
The pilgrimage of devoted Ferrari fans began at dawn, with the goal of securing spots outside the Fiorano circuit to witness Lewis Hamilton’s debut in the Ferrari. Around a thousand fans made their way through the fog to watch the first laps of the English champion, who hit the track at 9:16, greeting the supporters waiting for him.

For his first day behind the wheel of the Prancing Horse, Lewis Hamilton chose a yellow helmet, likely a nod to the color he used in his early Formula 1 years and also to Modena yellow, the base color of the Ferrari emblem and deeply tied to the company. The Brit settled into the cockpit of the 2023 SF-23, as required by regulations, completing thirty laps, equivalent to 90 kilometers in total.

The weather was far from ideal but not disastrous, with temperatures slightly above five degrees Celsius and occasional light rain in Fiorano. Hamilton performed some spectacular hard braking, likely due to both the cold conditions and his adjustment to the Brembo braking system (as Mercedes used Carbon Industries brakes). Additionally, there were the usual practice starts to familiarize himself with his new team’s procedures.

It’s also worth noting that these laps were the seven-time world champion’s first ever powered by a non-Mercedes F1 engine, marking a significant change in his career.