When will Lewis Hamilton make Ferrari debut in F1 2025? Testing, race schedule, contract length and more | F1 News happymamay

The biggest move ever for Formula 1 drivers has occurred ahead of the new 2025 season, as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton prepares for 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…

When will Hamilton drive a Ferrari for the first time?

Ferrari are yet to officially confirm Hamilton’s exact early movements at their Maranello base when he arrives for the first time later in January, but team boss Frederic Vasseur told the media just before Christmas that their star’s on-track debut for them was due to take place. It will be in one of the team’s old cars.

This is because Formula 1’s 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 2025 race weekends and official testing.

Since pre-season testing for the new 2025 competitors will not take place until late February in Bahrain, running in an older car before then will give Hamilton a first opportunity to get used to some of the unique characteristics of one of the Scuderia’s cars, systems and track working practices.

What we know so far is that Hamilton’s bow will come to the Scuderia Fiorano Test track adjacent to their factory in Maranello, with date set at Second half of January To be determined closer to the time by the weather forecast.

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

Vasseur has confirmed that no bespoke pre-season ‘unveiling’ event will be held to celebrate the seven-time world champion’s arrival at the Scuderia, but Hamilton will certainly join new teammate Charles Leclerc and the rest of the much-changed 2025 F1 grid-changing team at 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 they had signed Hamilton to a “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.

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 was suitable for some tracks and conditions, but faltered at others. Hamilton’s problems appeared in qualifying trials, where the 104-time record holder was defeated by Russell and suffered some shocks. The shock of an early exit, leaving him at the bottom of the grid and often hurting weekends.

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. . The worst streak 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