Lewis Hamilton has insisted he has nothing to show and feels no stress going into his first race for Ferrari on the System One season opener in Melbourne this weekend, with the seven-time champion merely revelling in what he described as essentially the most thrilling interval of an already lengthy and storied profession.
Hamilton, who made his F1 debut in 2007 and is now getting into his nineteenth season within the sport, will make his debut with Ferrari at Albert Park after six years at McLaren after which 12 at Mercedes.
Driving for the Scuderia had lengthy been a childhood dream for the British driver and the curiosity in his swap to racing for the game’s most well-known and most profitable marque has already been intense, reaching an apogee within the buildup to the opening assembly in Albert Park.
Hamilton, talking earlier than the groups take to the monitor for the primary time on Friday in Melbourne, conceded he was conscious the duty going through him in adapting to a brand new crew, based mostly in Italy, at 40 years outdated and coming in control in no quick order was appreciable. However he felt assured in his skill to ship.
“I’m beneath no assumptions that it is going to be simple, it isn’t,” he stated. “However I don’t really feel the stress. The surface stress, it’s nonexistent for me. The stress is from inside and what I need to obtain.
“I’m not right here to show something to anyone, I don’t really feel I’ve to do something.
“I’ve been [in F1] an extended, very long time and executed it time and time once more,” he stated. “I do know what it takes to do a great job and that’s what I need to ship for myself and for my household, for this crew that I actually consider deserve success.”
Ferrari haven’t received the drivers’ championship since 2007 and the constructors’ title since 2008, however completed second within the latter final season to McLaren and closed out 2024 with a automotive very a lot on the sharp finish of the grid. Expectations are that it is going to be aggressive as soon as once more this season and Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc will be capable of problem for wins.
Hamilton was cautiously optimistic after pre-season testing however guarded as to how Ferrari stood in relation to the remainder of the sector, type that may solely actually be demonstrated in Saturday’s qualifying at Albert Park. He was, nonetheless, in upbeat, buoyant temper in Melbourne, reinvigorated and motivated for the duty forward with Ferrari after three seasons scuffling with a recalcitrant Mercedes.
“I’m itching to get going,” he stated. “That is essentially the most thrilling interval of my life and so I’m actually simply having fun with it, I’m so excited to get within the automotive tomorrow.”
When Hamilton made his debut in Australia in 2007 he was solely 22 years outdated. Now, beginning a brand new period in his profession, he regarded again on how a lot had modified and why his expertise gave him confidence he may make a hit of it with the Scuderia.
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“After I was 22 years outdated, I wasn’t clearly mature, I didn’t have lots of basis round me. It was my dad and my step-mom was reserving my flights to return out right here,” he stated. “They’re right here this weekend, so it’s been an extended journey with them however I didn’t have any assist with prepping for one thing like this. It was simply deep finish in all places and I drowned many occasions.
“Now, clearly I’m very snug in my pores and skin. I do know who I’m, I do know the place I’m going. I do know what vitality and effort and time I must put in to get there. Clearly after I was 22 I didn’t know that, however what a rollercoaster trip it’s been up till now.”
Individually on Thursday, F1 introduced that its president and chief government, Stefano Domenicali, would proceed in his function till the tip of 2029. Domenicali took on the function in 2021 and has since overseen the game’s outstanding progress in reputation, its enlargement by way of followers and races and the monetary stabilisation of the prices of competing, resulting in a surge in worth of the groups.
Domenicali’s tenure has been very properly obtained inside the sport, along with his vary of expertise placing him in a powerful place to grasp the differing views concerned. He was crew principal at Ferrari between 2008 and 2013, then joined the business wing of Audi for 2 years earlier than changing into chair and CEO at Lamborghini.
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