The chequered flag waved final Tuesday night, marking the tip of the post-season testing day on the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island and signaling the official begin of the countdown to the 2025 Method 1 season. Though main adjustments to the game’s laws received’t come till 2026, there’s nonetheless lots to sit up for because the F1 paddock prepares for pre-season testing in Bahrain on February 26, 2024.
One of the vital intriguing storylines for the 2025 season revolves across the vital driver adjustments set to happen throughout a number of groups. The truth is, greater than half of the grid will function a minimum of one new driver, with one producer specifically grabbing the highlight for his or her strikes. Ferrari, in a daring and strategic transfer, has managed to recruit probably the most profitable driver in F1 historical past, Lewis Hamilton, who can be racing for less than his third staff in what can be his 18th season within the sport.
The British driver, recognized for his intense rivalries with a few of F1’s biggest drivers, has had his justifiable share of challenges with teammates over time. From his infamous conflict with Fernando Alonso throughout his debut season with McLaren in 2007 to his fierce battle with Nico Rosberg, Hamilton has skilled a variety of dynamics inside his groups. His partnership with Jenson Button at McLaren was one other defining second in his profession, adopted by his dominant years with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton has additionally performed an important function in mentoring George Russell, who will take over as Mercedes’ staff chief beginning subsequent yr.
Nevertheless, Lewis Hamilton’s new teammate at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, will current a really totally different problem. Charles Leclerc, one of the gifted and profitable homegrown drivers in trendy F1, has already made a major mark inside Ferrari, and his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton guarantees to be one of the thrilling narratives within the sport. The Monegasque driver himself has acknowledged the distinct distinction between Hamilton and his former teammate Carlos Sainz, with the 2 sharing a bond of mutual respect, as seen of their interplay after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
A report from the Italian day by day newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport has make clear how Ferrari ended their season on a excessive word regardless of not securing the Constructors’ Championship. It was essential for the staff to present Sainz a becoming farewell after his 4 years of devoted service. The Spaniard was deeply moved by a heartfelt farewell video, and a few of the Ferrari workers serenaded him with the tune “Sara Perche Ti Amo,” a tribute to AC Milan that interprets to “It should be as a result of I like you.” Charles Leclerc, in a touching gesture, devoted his race helmet to Sainz and expressed his eagerness to race alongside him sooner or later.
In the meantime, after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was seen within the paddock sharing an emotional embrace with Leclerc. In response to the Italian media, it was a second crammed with melancholy, as Ferrari had fallen brief of their bid to catch McLaren within the Constructors’ standings. Leclerc’s spectacular third-place end, regardless of a grid penalty, underscored his resilience all through the weekend.
The looks of the seven-time Method 1 world champion on the Ferrari storage was additionally famous by the Italian media, with some followers questioning his wardrobe selections. Whereas most drivers persist with team-branded apparel when coming into the paddock, Lewis Hamilton is understood for his distinctive model and infrequently wears Mercedes merchandise until required. For the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he transitioned from an all-white outfit after Friday’s observe classes to donning Ferrari crimson on Sunday, sparking hypothesis about his upcoming transfer. After the race, Lewis Hamilton was noticed coming into the Ferrari storage, although it’s unclear what he was doing there or how lengthy he spent together with his future staff. It’s probably that he’s already starting the method of integrating himself into Ferrari’s operations forward of one of the vital adjustments he’ll expertise in his F1 profession.
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