HAMILTON AND HIS RED ONE.

FROM THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE PEDALS, HERE'S HOW LEWIS IS SHAPING THE NEW FERRARI.

Originally Published in: Gazzetta dello Sport

Originally Published on: Jan 24th 2025

Originally Written by: Paolo Fillisetti

Lewis Hamilton's three days in Maranello, culminating with the test on Wednesday the 22nd, were marked by a very high emotional level, not only for the fans gathered along the overpass that runs alongside the Fiorano track, but also for all the people directly involved in this event, including Lewis. But it wasn't just photos and emotions, of course. Monday was almost entirely dedicated to visiting the departments of the Scuderia to meet the men who work behind the scenes for success on the track.

ⓒ LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT

AUTOMATISMS So, two definitely demanding days: Lewis began to meticulously search for his comfort zone through intense briefings with the technicians, data analysis, and very specific requests for some modifications—few, but crucial for feeling at ease. Some parts of the work program were aimed at the test conducted on the last day, but not only that. The work in the factory primarily sought to create a foundation of automatisms, processing sensations that could, right away, in the coming weeks, allow him to provide reliable feedback in the briefings following the simulator sessions, before the new car hits the track for the first time on February 19. The second day was certainly the most significant from a technical standpoint, not only in relation to the track test. In the factory, in fact, Lewis conducted seat tests, taking care of the final details, both in the cockpit of the car he then drove and in the jig/bare chassis during the pre-assembly phase of the 2025 car. A crucial part was in the simulator, where Lewis used the mathematical model of the SF-23 but also of the SF-24 in the latest specifications at the end of the 2024 season.

SIMULATOR In the simulator, he tried different configurations and adjustments, it is imagined, also deliberately distant from each other, in terms of suspension settings, engine maps, and load levels. All to erase his sensory memory related to the experience with the Mercedes simulator. Eliminating the effects and sensations provided by the hydraulic actuators commanded by profoundly different mathematical models. The simulator in Maranello is indeed from a more recent generation compared to that of Mercedes in Brackley. Numerous briefings followed and preceded each session, not only to obtain feedback on setup changes and configurations but also to allow the engineers, led by Riccardo Adami, a more precise, albeit initial, understanding of the driver's preferences.

STEERING WHEEL & START PROCEDURES The track test was divided into four runs for a total of thirty laps in which the settings that can be modified through the commands on the steering wheel were verified. In practice, combinations of operations were executed based on the instructions received via radio. This was to allow for a quick understanding of the procedures. No less important were the start simulations to become familiar with the procedure and with the clutch disengagement setting. During the stops, Lewis reported the sensations obtained from the tests to Adami, the track engineer, but he also analyzed with all the engineers the overall feedback that emerged based on the setups tested, the behavior of the car, and the track conditions, especially in terms of temperature and grip. Lewis did not request further modifications to the steering wheel compared to those already made before the test. The arrangement of the switches, in fact, seems to be only slightly different from that of his teammate. Meanwhile, regarding the pedal, Hamilton has requested normal routine adjustments that a driver desires when arriving at a new team and getting into a different car. All this is in preparation for the upcoming test that will take place, still with the SF-23, at Montmelo.

[Translation proof reading by @F1REAKS / X]