Mark Mann-Bryans: Hamilton Ferrari love-in must now become strictly business at Australian Grand Prix

It appears unusual to counsel, after successful six world championships and a few 84 grand prix with Mercedes, that Lewis Hamilton wanted a brand new lease of life in Method 1 – however that’s precisely what he has loved since shifting to Ferrari.

The information of his change to Italy was introduced over a 12 months in the past however now he has swapped his silver arrow for a prancing horse, there’s a renewed vigour to Hamilton, even on the cusp of his nineteenth season in F1.

He has finished a lot to construct an prompt relationship together with his new group and its well-known fanbase, which flocked en masse to Fiorano on a cold, foggy January morning to watch Hamilton complete 30 steady laps in old machinery.

However the event additionally meant one thing to Hamilton, each his mom and father had been in attendance as he donned the crimson race swimsuit (outdoors of a photoshoot) for the primary time.

The very fact he had already posted an image of him carrying his new overalls, breaking the F1-corner of the web within the course of, was one other instance of how he was already being welcomed into the Ferrari fold.

Essentially the most-liked F1 picture within the historical past of Instagram and a picture that instantly showed his financial worth to the team, social media lapped up the content material, with Hamilton additionally snapped outdoors Enzo Ferrari’s historic house, draped in Italian style and in entrance of an F40 – a veritable easter egg hunt for followers.

His Duolingo clearly having taken a battering over the winter, Hamilton then turned his hand to talking Italian in entrance of the Ferrari manufacturing unit crew – he all the time knew what he wanted to decide to, particularly given how ingrained within the group’s tradition his new team-mate Charles Leclerc already is, to make the transition as clean as attainable.

Away from his new group, Hamilton has additionally began to stay his greatest life and, at 40, most likely turned one of many oldest TikTok customers when he arrange his new account on the eve of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, amassing 245,000 followers in lower than a day.

How chilled is the knight of the realm? Nicely, posting a video of him ‘showing’ in one in all his favorite films, ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ and roping in Hollywood actor Ed Norton alongside him reveals he’s having loads of enjoyable – though perhaps proof that it was sensible for Hamilton’s function within the upcoming F1 movie to be largely behind the digital camera…

Nonetheless, the nice will, the lengthy welcome, the crimson carpet and – most significantly – the hopes pinned on him to ship a primary drivers’ title to Maranello since 2007 (by the way the 12 months he debuted within the championship) will all rapidly dissipate if he doesn’t ship on observe.

For all of his record-equalling seven titles, Hamilton is up towards a powerful, assured, quick team-mate in Leclerc, whereas his considerably alarming drop-off in qualifying efficiency may also want addressing.

Pre-season testing typically yields little correlation to efficiency as soon as the chips are down, though Hamilton setting the second-fastest time throughout the three days may have been a lift.

To Albert Park, then, the place the Hamilton/Ferrari journey begins in earnest.

A observe the place he has received solely twice (2008 and 2015), victory is not going to be anticipated of him this time round, given the tempo of the McLarens, however a powerful displaying when it issues will begin Hamilton off on the suitable foot.

The most recent stage of the latter a part of his glittering profession has began with form phrases, iconic imagery and Matthew Broderick however now has to modify to pure efficiency on the observe.

It is likely to be a problem however, as Hamilton riffs in his modern-day Ferris Bueller cameo earlier than driving off in a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder: “Chill out. You fellas don’t have anything to fret about, I’m an expert.”