Lewis Hamilton has made it clear that he is untroubled by missing the opportunity to make his debut with Ferrari at Formula 1’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi, admitting the idea never “excited” him.
The seven-time world champion will soon be gearing up for his monumental career shift in F1 as he departs Mercedes and joins Ferrari for what is likely to be his final stint in the sport.
While Scuderia chief Fred Vasseur had hoped to secure Hamilton for a day of running in the Abu Dhabi test to aid his transition, ongoing logistical and contractual obligations with Mercedes have made this impossible.
Mercedes has scheduled several farewell events for Hamilton in December, including a Petronas promotional event in Malaysia on the very day of the test.
Reflecting on the missed test, Hamilton revealed that he wasn’t particularly enthused by the prospect of making his Ferrari debut in Yas Marina.
“Look, I know Fred wanted it to happen. For me, I was in two minds,” commented the Briton ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.
“Driving the red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi does not excite me. In a perfect world, you get to drive it, not be seen, and do the first rollout next year.”
Hamilton, known for his methodical approach and focus on preparation, shared that he had always envisioned a quieter, more private introduction to Ferrari. A media-heavy debut in Abu Dhabi, where attention would inevitably be immense, was far from his ideal scenario.
“When I did raise it, obviously with Toto [Wolff], they had all these plans that I've got to go and see some of the sponsors and say their farewells,” he explained
“So I don't think it was ever going to actually be allowed, even if I had asked to have done it, because I'm contracted to the team until December 31st and that's totally fine. But it doesn't bother me, again, because I wasn't going to do the test.”
Hamilton also confirmed that he had communicated his feelings to Vasseur.
“It's not what I wanted to do. I told Fred that's not what I wanted to do,” he said. “Am I missing out on something? For sure. It definitely delays the process and makes the start of the year harder, but we'll do our best to recover.”
Ferrari plans to give Hamilton his first run in a previous car, likely its 2022 or 2023 model, at Fiorano in January. This session will serve as a warm-up of sorts before the official pre-season testing begins in Bahrain in February.
Despite the delay, Vasseur expressed confidence that Hamilton’s vast experience would enable him to adapt quickly.
“I’m not sure that he needs tons of hours of acclimatisation,” commented Vasseur, quoted by Motorsport.com.
“He is experienced enough to be quick on the first day, or at least very soon. We’ll have one or two TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] days, plus the test in Bahrain, and that will be enough.”
As Hamilton prepares to don the iconic Ferrari red, his journey with Mercedes draws to a close after an illustrious partnership that yielded six world championships.
While missing the Abu Dhabi test may delay his transition slightly, Hamilton’s focus remains on ensuring he is ready to perform at the highest level when the 2024 season kicks off.
For Hamilton, the real excitement lies not in when or where his Ferrari journey begins, but in what he can achieve in the next chapter of his storied career.
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