F1 News
Hamilton says it's 'refreshing to have something different' than Mercedes
- Savannah Lenz
Lewis Hamilton has been active in Formula 1 since the 2007 season. Since then he has driven for three teams; McLaren, Mercedes and now Ferrari. Before stepping into the 2025 Formula 1 car, he was able to test the SF-23 and SF-24.
Hamilton was able to complete two TPCs (testing of previous cars), before completing a shakedown for the SF-25. While talking about the three Ferrari F1 cars he has tested (the SF-23, SF-24 and now Ferrari's current car, the SF-25), he said, “Firstly, they're very well built and massively different in characteristics. Rather than just jumping to this car and having exactly the same, it's been refreshing to have something different to learn.”
Ferrari Power Units
Hamilton continued, “Different ways in which you have to drive the car, and different requirements for how you approach corners.”
After spending the past 12 years with Mercedes engines, he now has to learn to adapt to Ferrari’s - which could be a good thing as before the 2024 British Grand Prix, Hamilton went 945 days since a win. He said, "The engine has a different tone, a different feel, and different drivability. Having driven Mercedes for so long, which had such a great power unit, it's great to see that Ferrari also has a great power unit.”
Ferrari has its own power unit, which, like Mercedes, it supplies to other teams. Both of Hamilton's previous teams have used Mercedes Power Units. He mentioned, “It's something that I again, [have been] spending time with the engineers from the engine department and learning about the process they take for reliability and power."
Hamilton has had to adjust to many things with his move to the Maranello-based team. Learning about the new power unit is one of them. He admits, "That's a process in itself. But so far, it’s been really great."
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