Lewis Hamilton arrived in Maranello on Monday morning. Your entire Ferrari F1 crew welcomed him with open arms, giving him a reception worthy of a Member of the British Empire. That is exactly the title that the Briton was awarded by Queen Elizabeth herself a number of years in the past. It’s no small honor. Sir Lewis is essentially the most profitable driver within the historical past of Components 1, an indisputable fact. His expertise has taken him to victory on each monitor on this planet. Now, at 40 years outdated, it’s time to enter the realm of legends. To do that, there was just one choice: to drive for Ferrari.
The Englishman left behind a “protected spot” the place he might have completed his profession comfortably. He had nothing extra to show. As an alternative, pushed by a predatory intuition and childhood desires, the British driver needed to face the ultimate problem of his profession. Profitable with Ferrari has a special taste. If, as all supporters of the Prancing Horse anticipate, he manages to convey the championship again to Maranello, he’ll turn into a dwelling legend. The primary method came about in current days: a go to to the manufacturing facility, simulator periods, and a shakedown on the monitor with the 2023 season automotive.
Lewis Hamilton was capable of take a look at the Brembo brakes, on which he expressed a really optimistic opinion. Because of Italian know-how, the aim is to unravel the qualifying issues he confronted final season, when, with Mercedes, he used Carbon Industries brakes throughout braking. There was additionally the primary shut encounter with the PU 066/12. A sort of lesson to discover ways to greatest use the Italian energy unit. Attaining the proper “handbook reminiscence” to totally exploit the ability unit with its numerous controls won’t be straightforward. He’s additionally engaged on this within the simulator.
The Ferrari SF-23 single-seater wasn’t an incredible automotive. Undoubtedly the weakest one produced within the wing automotive period. Nevertheless, driving it was implausible for Lewis Hamilton. Clearly excited, the Briton accomplished a diminished work program. About thirty laps the place he turned accustomed to the varied controls and, on the similar time, began to get to know the Maranello crew’s working methodology. Though it’s all the time vital to get on monitor, subsequent week on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, as we had beforehand anticipated, Lewis Hamilton will face a considerably extra demanding take a look at.
He’ll have extra time to give attention to the work to be carried out. Charles Leclerc will even be current with him. One other fascinating element considerations the take a look at organized by Pirelli for the 2026 tires. The Worldwide Federation is effectively conscious of how difficult it’s for the Italian tire producer to work on the brand new era of tires with no automotive regulated by the upcoming algorithm. That’s why they’ll permit groups to make use of a modified 2024 automotive for this event. The seven-time F1 world champion will thus drive the Ferrari SF-24 in February.
That is the automotive that allowed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to struggle for the constructors’ title till the final Components 1 Grand Prix on the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. A extremely good automotive, the idea for the automotive that shall be unveiled on January nineteenth by way of broadcast, after which seen on monitor at Fiorano for the primary pre-season run. The anticipation is sort of excessive, there’s no denying it, as a result of testing the SF-24 will present the primary vital suggestions for Lewis Hamilton, waiting for the 2025 Components 1 championship. In the meantime, nevertheless, the take a look at earlier automotive programme will begin subsequent Tuesday on the Catalan monitor, the place Lewis Hamilton’s chemistry with the purple automotive will proceed to develop.
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