Ferrari followers, recognized for his or her unwavering ardour, turned out in large numbers with over 5,000 Tifosi current at Fiorano to witness Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc take their first laps within the SF-25.
On Wednesday, Ferrari utilized the filming day guidelines to kick off their 2025 Components 1 marketing campaign preparations. The pair accomplished 200 kilometers (124 miles) of their new automobile, marking its first on-track outing as Ferrari checked the automobile’s methods forward of the only real pre-season take a look at. This necessary session will happen from February 26 to twenty-eight on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit, the place all 10 groups will collect for the one unrestricted working earlier than the Australian Grand Prix. There, Hamilton will make historical past because the thirteenth British driver to race for Ferrari.
Ferrari followers couldn’t assist however joke about “tea time” throughout a pause in Hamilton’s SF-25 shakedown, highlighting their playful spirit and fervour. After Hamilton’s arrival from Mercedes, the Tifosi have been wanting to make him really feel at residence at Maranello, and their enthusiasm was clear at Fiorano. Whereas simply over 1,000 followers attended Hamilton’s first take a look at in January, the group greater than quintupled on Wednesday as followers flocked to witness the motion.
In accordance with Auto Racer, Ferrari supporters continued to fill the streets round Fiorano all through the day as Leclerc and Hamilton examined the SF-25 for the primary time. Charles Leclerc, taking the primary laps of the day, got here very near breaking the Fiorano monitor report, finishing a easy run with out points. Lewis Hamilton, too, loved an uninterrupted session, even managing 10 consecutive laps. Nonetheless, after his preliminary run, there was a major break in motion.
This hole, which lasted round half-hour, sparked lighthearted jokes among the many Tifosi who quipped it was “tea time” as they waited for Hamilton’s return to the monitor. Regardless of the delay, Lewis Hamilton resumed his runs with out additional issues as Ferrari turned their consideration to the upcoming Bahrain take a look at.
The pre-season testing session on the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain Worldwide Circuit in Sakhir, scheduled for subsequent week, might be Ferrari’s first actual alternative to measure their SF-25’s velocity in opposition to their rivals. Hamilton will even be hoping {that a} extra acquainted monitor surroundings will ease his adjustment to the brand new automobile. Though the filming day on the Fiorano circuit went easily, Hamilton was 0.8 seconds slower than Leclerc throughout their runs. The British driver will little question be eager to shut that hole when the true motion begins in Bahrain, guaranteeing he units the tempo alongside the Monegasque driver as he settles into his new workforce.
Whereas Charles Leclerc is now coming into his seventh season with Ferrari, having joined from Sauber after only one yr in F1, the British driver’s arrival provides a brand new dynamic to the workforce. As Leclerc has turn into a fixture at Maranello, Hamilton remains to be discovering his ft at Ferrari, with the 2025 season poised to be a defining yr for each drivers.