How Lewis Hamilton felt about driving for Ferrari during this year’s post-season Abu Dhabi test

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Lewis Hamilton may have signed a deal to race for Ferrari, but he’ll remain a Mercedes employee until the end of the calendar year. He still has six Grand Prix weekends to complete in their colours.

In the past, teams have agreed to release their drivers early so they can begin testing for their new team. On the Tuesday after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, preparations for 2025 will begin over one last day of running.

In 2022, Alpine allowed Fernando Alonso to drive for Aston Martin at Yas Marina. In turn, they fielded Pierre Gasly ahead of his formal move from AlphaTauri (now RB) in 2023.

Toto Wolff won’t want to give Hamilton any competitive advantage at Ferrari. They have enjoyed the most successful partnership in F1 history, winning six world championships together, but they’re about to become rivals.

That’s why Hamilton may no longer be involved in certain Mercedes meetings. The Silver Arrows don’t want him taking too much sensitive information to Maranello.

However, they have an incentive to look to the future, with teenager Kimi Antonelli due to replace him. Antonelli has been testing the 2022 car behind the scenes, but crashed just 10 minutes into his first official outing in the 2024 car in Monza.

Mercedes share Lewis Hamilton’s stance on Abu Dhabi test

Mercedes have told RacingNews365 that Antonelli and George Russell will split testing responsibilities in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton will have left the UAE by the time the test takes place.

According to the team, Hamilton didn’t ask for permission to drive for Ferrari in the session. That suggests he’s content to wait until 2025.

Based on reports this week, Mercedes may have blocked an early Ferrari test for Hamilton regardless. They point out that he’s still their driver until 1 January.

What’s more, he must fulfil a series of commercial obligations before he leaves the team. There will likely be numerous events planned to mark his exit.

Lewis Hamilton could still drive for Ferrari before 2025 pre-season testing

As a Mercedes employee, Hamilton will be limited in what he can do this year. But that’s not to say he hasn’t begun his preparations.

Hamilton has already started learning Italian, though that will of course be a long process. He’s aware that this helped Michael Schumacher, who won five titles with Ferrari between 2000 and 2004.

Meanwhile, Hamilton has asked Charles Leclerc what he can expect next year, though most of his conversations with his new teammate have focused on mutual interests like fashion and music. The Monegasque will be difficult to beat next year given that he’s raced for the team since 2019 and been part of their family for eight years.

But he may not have to wait until the end of February to drive the car and start working with his new engineers. Hamilton could test at Fiorano, Ferrari’s private circuit, as part of a permitted shakedown.