The first insights into Lewis Hamilton’s debut test session as a Ferrari driver have been revealed.
Hamilton, who signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari starting in 2025 back in February 2024, will partner with Charles Leclerc this season as he pursues a record-breaking eighth world championship title, surpassing Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton’s official debut for Ferrari will occur during pre-season testing in Bahrain next month. However, the team has planned a series of private sessions beforehand, allowing him to drive various versions of their cars under the F1 Testing of Previous Cars regulations.
These rules permit teams to conduct up to 1,000 kilometers of testing per calendar year using drivers competing in the upcoming season.
Hamilton’s first test session is expected to take place in late January, with additional details now confirmed. According to Kym Illman, an accredited F1 photographer and popular YouTuber with over 390,000 subscribers, the 40-year-old will drive a Scuderia car at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in Maranello.
The session is scheduled for either Monday, January 20, or Tuesday, January 21, depending on weather conditions.
Illman also says there will be a ‘huge crowd’ present around the track, writing to fans on Instagram: “Lewis Hamilton will get behind the wheel of a Ferrari F1 car at the team’s Fiorano test track in Maranello.
“I’ll be producing a YouTube video about it and I’ll be looking for some good quality vision.
“Lewis arriving at/leaving the track, Lewis addressing fans through the track fence, the huge crowd expected in Maranello, traffic jams, signage, fan reaction to the testing and anything that tells a story.”
The specifics of the session’s logistics remain unclear, including whether Ferrari plans to film and share footage on their social media platforms or how many fans, if any, will be allowed to witness Hamilton’s first drive in a Scuderia car.
Hamilton has not yet made any public statements about his move since it became official on January 1.
However, he has interacted with several Ferrari posts on social media and updated his profile picture to a childhood karting photo, where he is seen wearing a red helmet.
