Lewis Hamilton couldn’t hide his excitement after taking Ferrari’s new SF-26 for its first spin at Fiorano.
“Every year I look forward to this. Car launch truly never gets old,” Hamilton shared on social media after his debut drive in Ferrari red.
The seven-time world champion had the honor of being first to test the new Ferrari that everyone hopes will turn things around after a disappointing 2025 season.
He shared the driving duties with teammate Charles Leclerc, with both taking a few laps around Ferrari’s private test track ahead of next week’s more extensive testing in Barcelona.
“Big shout to everyone who’s worked hard over the break to get us here,” Hamilton continued in his post. “So many hands and minds have come together to create this, and this is our day one.”
The British driver also took time to thank the passionate Ferrari fans who showed up to witness this historic moment.
“Grazie Tifosi for showing up and bringing the energy. The passion is really unmatched.”
He wrapped up his message with a clear mission statement: “New year, new drive. Same mission. Welcome to the SF-26.”
Ferrari has already confirmed they’ll skip the first day of the Barcelona test next week, giving their competitors a head start.
## Hamilton working with temporary race engineer
For now, Lewis will be working with Carlo Santi as his race engineer during the Barcelona testing sessions.
Santi is handling the role temporarily while Ferrari decides on a permanent appointment for Hamilton’s crucial technical partnership.
He’s no rookie, having previously worked as Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineer during the Finn’s time at Ferrari.
In Barcelona, Santi will be working closely with Bryan Bozzi, who has been Charles Leclerc’s trusted race engineer for years.
Behind the scenes, rumors suggest Ferrari is trying to poach someone from Hamilton’s former team, McLaren, to eventually take over as his permanent race engineer.
The coming weeks should reveal who’ll be the voice in Hamilton’s ear during what many expect to be the final chapter of his legendary Formula 1 career.
