Even though it is just the arrival of a driver at the base of his new team ahead of the upcoming season, Lewis Hamilton being in Maranello has sent Ferrari fans and the F1 community into a wave of happiness. It is being hyped up as a groundbreaking moment. The start of the greatest driver-team association of all time.
While Hamilton fans seem to be the most vocal, especially on social media, the shift in atmosphere in Italy has largely gone under the radar. After all, Ferrari is welcoming a driver who could end their frustrating 17-year Championship drought. It’s safe to say that the excitement among Italians, who consider Ferrari a part of their lives, has reached new heights.
Italian journalist Giuliano Duchessa, who has been covering the Briton’s first day in Maranello, posted about how the enthusiasm of the Italian people for Ferrari and F1 seems to have found a fresh lease on life.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen people leave their house wearing a makeshift sweatshirt #Ferrari, no matter what year”, he wrote in Italian on X (formerly Twitter). “Lewis Hamilton has rekindled a great enthusiasm that was perhaps a little dormant in ordinary people.”
Era da un tempo lungo che non si incontravano persone uscire di casa con una felpa #Ferrari di fortuna, di qualunque anno.
Non parlo di Maranello, ma in una città qualunque. Lewis Hamilton ha riacceso un grande entusiasmo che era forse un po’ sopito nella gente comune— Giuliano Duchessa (@GiulyDuchessa) January 20, 2025
The excitement has admittedly not been limited to Ferrari’s base and factory. The whole of Italy seemed to have woken up on Monday morning with a renewed sense of hope after enduring years of heartbreak in the F1 Championship.
In addition to the warm reception Hamilton received in Maranello, reports suggest that his private test run in an older Ferrari car at the Fiorano track could also attract passionate fans eager to see the Briton in Rossa Corsa.
This test will mostly take place on Wednesday, January 22nd, according to Auto Racer. Meanwhile, Hamilton is also reportedly going to have some simulator sessions to kickstart his work at Ferrari.
What else will Hamilton be up to till the pre-season formalities begin?
Hamilton has about a month to settle into the team before the season and Ferrari’s car launch, which will take place in the third week of February. The 40-year-old will certainly aim to familiarize himself with Ferrari’s cars and engines as much as possible before he begins driving the actual 2025 challenger.
On top of that, Hamilton will also need to familiarize himself with his engineers and mechanics before the work begins. However, given his history of building strong relationships at his previous teams, it shouldn’t be a huge challenge for him to establish a healthy rapport with the Italian crew.
Benvenuto, Lewis! pic.twitter.com/VR3J1jFmQk
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 20, 2025
One area where he could face a challenge is the language and culture. There have been concerns about whether Hamilton will struggle to adapt to Ferrari’s environment, as his move to Italy marks a significant shift from spending his entire career in the UK.
Regardless, if he can master the car and deliver race wins and podiums, these secondary aspects will take a back seat and may not matter much to either Ferrari or Hamilton.
