Formula 1's biggest driver move has come ahead of the new 2025 season with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton preparing for his first year at Ferrari.
Keep up to date with the latest key dates and events here during the pre-season as the opening stages of one of sport's most anticipated ties unfold…
When will Hamilton drive a Ferrari for the first time?
Ferrari are yet to officially confirm Hamilton's exact starting moves at their Maranello base when he first arrives later in January, but team principal Frederic Vasseur told the media just before Christmas that their star's track debut for them was to be in one of the old cars team.
This is because Formula 1 sporting regulations allow testing of previous cars (TPC), subject to certain restrictions, with teams being able to run their 2023, 2022 or 2021 cars this year outside of race weekends and official testing in 2025.
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In an exclusive interview, Fred Vasseur shares Ferrari's team goals for the new season, his hopes for new arrival Lewis Hamilton and the team's challenge to beat Max Verstappen.
With pre-season testing for the new 2025 challengers not taking place until the end of February in Bahrain, driving the older car before then will give Hamilton his first chance to get used to some of the unique features of one of the Scuderia's cars, systems and working practices at paths.
What we know for now is that Hamilton's bow will come in handy for the Scuderia Fiorano test track, which is located near their factory in Maranello, with the exact date in second half of January determine closer to the time with the weather forecast.
When will Hamilton make his first public appearance as a Ferrari driver?
Vasseur confirmed there will not be a bespoke pre-season 'reveal' event to mark the seven-time world champion's arrival at the Scuderia, but Hamilton will definitely join new team-mate Charles Leclerc and the rest of the much-changed F1 2025 grid at the launch event special season in London's O2 on February 18.
Hamilton will then take part in the launch of his first Ferrari car a day later in Maranello February 19.
When will Hamilton drive a Ferrari car for the first time in 2025?
While Hamilton and Leclerc are likely to drive their new 2025 car at Fiorano in a shake-up as part of one of the permitted 'shooting days' following its launch on February 19, their full debut in the team's latest challenge will come at a test in Bahrain from February 26-28.
Hamilton and Leclerc will share driving duties during the three days in the Middle East, meaning they will be on the road every day and a half.
When and where will he make his Ferrari race debut?
Melbourne's Albert Park will be the venue for Hamilton's first race weekend as a Ferrari driver at the March 14-16 while the Australian Grand Prix returns to host the 2025 season opener.
All 24 race weekends in the new season are live Sky Sports F1.
How long is his contract with Ferrari?
Ferrari announced it had signed Hamilton to a “multi-year” contract when the move was announced last February. Although the exact length of the term is not publicly specified, the multi-year deal would certainly cover the 2025 and 2026 seasons and could even include options for the Briton to continue beyond that.
Hamilton, who turned 40 on January 7, said in April 2024 that he would “race well into my 40s”, having previously played down the chances of him continuing his career that long.
The 2025 campaign marks Hamilton's 19th consecutive season in the F1 standings.
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Lewis Hamilton talks about his reasons for moving to Ferrari and his relationship with team principal Frederic Vasseur.
Why did Hamilton decide to join Ferrari?
It was a shock of truly seismic proportions when it emerged on 1 February 2024 that Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes at the end of that year to join rivals Ferrari.
Triggering the break clause in what was previously believed to be a fixed two-year contract with Mercedes, agreed just five months earlier, Hamilton said that while it was “the hardest decision I think I've ever had to make” deciding to leave, he concluded is that “I'm finally writing my own story and I felt like it was time to start a new chapter”.
How did Hamilton fare in the 2024 season?
In what will always be an unusual 2024 season for Hamilton and Mercedes with his end-of-year departure announced before the campaign even began, the Briton finished outside the top six in the Drivers' Championship for the first time (seventh). in his career and was surpassed by teammate George Russell.
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With seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes in 2024, take a look at his seven best drives with the team.
Struggling to match his style with Mercedes' 2024 car, which suited some tracks and conditions but fell short in others, Hamilton's problems were mainly manifested in qualifying where Russell beat the record 104-time athlete in the eye and suffered some shock early departures, leaving him further down the grid and often compromising his weekends.
Still, there were some notable highs – particularly on race days – none more so than a brilliant victory in changeable conditions at his home British GP, a record ninth victory in a single Grand Prix and a record 104th place overall. a career-worst run of 56 races without a win.
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Experience Lewis Hamilton's final moments with Mercedes through his eyes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
He inherited 105th when team-mate Russell was disqualified at the Belgian GP, while the final weeks of his Mercedes career have oscillated between uncharacteristically dismal displays – including an early exit in Austin and a mistake-filled 12th in Qatar – and the excitement of coming back from poor qualifying in Las Vegas and, on Mercedes' farewell, in Abu Dhabi.
Who replaced Hamilton at Mercedes?
One of the youngest debutants in the sport, an 18-year-old Italian, steps into the shoes of the most successful F1 driver of all time. Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
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Sky Sports F1's Karun Chandhok talks about Kimi Antonelli's journey to Mercedes HQ in 2025.
A Mercedes protégé who the team has had on its books since 2019, Antonelli won two races in his only year in F2 in 2024 and has quickly risen through the motorsport ranks to one of the highest-profile spots on the grid in a clear display of faith in his potential from the team boss Toto Wolff.
Watch all 24 race weekends of the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian Grand Prix on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports from NOW – No contract, cancel anytime