Lewis Hamilton expressed that it has been a “refreshing” experience learning new car characteristics at Ferrari compared to what he’s been used to at Mercedes in Formula 1.
With the sole pre-season test done and dusted, Hamilton has turned his last laps in a Ferrari prior to conducting his anticipated debut with the team in Australia this month.
The Briton, who revealed that the move has revitalised him, was in positive spirits as he claimed that Ferrari’s SF-25 has provided his best driving experience in a long while.
One aspect he has had to adapt to in his Ferrari outings to date has been the Italian marque’s engine, having driven a Mercedes power unit in his F1 career up until this point.
However, Hamilton, now 40, has admitted that he has relished having new challenges to overcome as he bids to hit the ground running with the Maranello-based squad.
When asked how it has been driving a Ferrari, Hamilton told media Motorsport Week: “Well firstly, they’re very well built, and massively different in characteristics.
“But rather than just jump into a different car and having it exactly the same, it’s been refreshing to have something different, to learn different ways in which you have to drive the car, different requirements to how you approach corners.
“The engine has a different tone, a different feel, different drivability, and I’ve been driving Mercedes for so long, which was such a great power unit, and it’s great to see that Ferrari also have a great power unit.
“And it’s something that I’m, again, spending time with the engineers from the engine department and learning of the processes they take to for reliability and power.
“That’s a process in itself, but so far it’s been really great.”
Hamilton completed 162 laps during his time in the SF-25 at testing, 58 fewer than team-mate Charles Leclerc as a minor issue spelt a premature end to his spell in the car.
The seven-time F1 champion conceded that the Italian marque has “work to do” amid McLaren’s impressive pace, but he insisted he was beginning to “bond” with the SF-25.
Hamilton’s outlook represents a complete contrast to the comments made during his final campaign with Mercedes in 2024 when he struggled to gel with a capricious W15.
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