Hamilton “slowly bonding” with new Ferrari car

Lewis Hamilton reckons he’s “slowly bonding” together with his Ferrari after notching up a complete of 115 laps in his new challenger for 2025.

Hamilton switched to the Italian group within the winter and had made no secret of the struggles he had together with his Mercedes from final season.

The seven-time F1 world champion was collaborating in pre-season testing in Bahrain the place he says he’s attending to grips with the SF-25.

He stated: “It’s a bit early to say however I’m actually having fun with the automotive. We’re slowly bonding.

“Yesterday was a so-so day. It was OK. However yesterday we bought by way of all of our run plan.

“We’re testing a bunch of issues. So I’m not doing set-up adjustments or directing the place I would like the automotive to go. We’re simply going by way of the motions.

“At this time was a bit extra of attending to discover a little bit of my interplay with my engineer. To date I actually take pleasure in driving this automotive.”

Hamilton spent 12 seasons with Mercedes and says it’s taking him time to regulate to driving a Ferrari F1 automotive for the primary time in his profession and, consequently, is working by way of totally different set-up choices.

He added: “In the mean time, there’s nonetheless room to discover extra, and I am simply, little by little, eking out just a little bit extra every time.

“All of the settings are so totally different. So even simply brake bias and all these kinds of issues, it is a lot totally different to what I had within the earlier place.

“It’s not essentially unlearning what I did earlier than, however form of relearning this new method of working and the place the automotive likes to be pushed.

“It likes to be pushed in a different way. And that is a extremely enjoyable journey studying that. However in the meanwhile, it feels that we positively really feel the automotive beneath me. I really feel that the automotive is responding to my inputs.

“At this time was a constructive day, and making these incremental steps with the set-up. There’s nonetheless extra work to do.”

Hamilton seems reinvigorated and buoyed by his change, saying his arrival at Ferrari couldn’t have gone any higher.

He was watched in Bahrain by Ferrari chairman, John Elkann, who made a uncommon look at testing.

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari, John Elkann, Ferrari Chairman and CEO

Photograph by: Clive Rose / Motorsport Photographs

Hamilton stated: “The way you begin usually is essential. This previous month could not have gone any totally different, and it could not have gone any higher.

“The times that we have had, simply day-after-day, has been important and actually about simply constructing foundations and while we’ve to cram loads in a small area of time, we’ve not rushed it.

“We nonetheless have taken the time however we’ve simply been working flat out within the days, lengthy, lengthy, lengthy days, however that is what we’re right here for, proper?

“I actually do suppose it would pay dividends shifting forwards, the work that has gone on, the main target, the communication, the adjustments that we have made, however there shall be extra additionally over the six-to-eight months.

“That is going to be constantly evolving, but it surely felt seamless. It is felt straightforward in a way of gelling with the group.

“We have now not needed to pressure it. It is accomplished it in its personal time, and I really feel at dwelling.”