Hamilton Ferrari BOMBSHELL drops as 'secret meeting' details revealed

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton held 'secret meetings' with Ferrari engineers prior to his Mercedes exit, according to reports from Italian media.

Hamilton heads into 2025 as a Ferrari driver, having opted to ditch the Mercedes team with whom he managed to claim six of his seven drivers' championship titles, and won 84 grands prix.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen reveals SHOCK move as emotional team farewell issued

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The Brit had to race the 2024 season with Mercedes having already signed with Ferrari for 2025, often adopting a rather downbeat attitude while suffering one of his worst ever seasons.

Hamilton finished seventh in the drivers' championship, behind team-mate George Russell, but did manage to banish his almost three-year win drought, picking up victories at Silverstone and Spa.

Has Hamilton met his Ferrari colleagues?

Hamilton heads to Ferrari with the team on a high, having boosted themselves back into championship contention in 2024.

The Maranello outfit came within just 11 points of winning their first championship title since 2008, which will offer Hamilton some hope that he can once again challenge for a so far elusive eighth drivers' title before he retires.

Mercedes' team members have spent the last few weeks offering stunning farewell tributes to Hamilton via podcasts, social media posts and an in-person visit for the champion to the Brackley headquarters.

The celebration of a highly-successful 12-season spell, which is the most successful driver-team combination of all-time, also coincided with a delay in Hamilton's Ferrari debut, with the champion missing the post-season Abu Dhabi test.

Hamilton is now likely to make his debut at some point in January according to team principal Fred Vasseur, who said that the team would be making use of the Testing of Previous Cars programme (TPC).

However, it now appears that the seven-time champion has already made an effort to try and connect with his new colleagues. According to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Hamilton 'secretly travelled to Maranello' to meet with Ferrari engineers prior to his departure from Mercedes.

They also report that the 39-year-old was in frequent communication with Charles Leclerc, and begun learning Italian so that he can 'socialise' with team members in Maranello.

READ MORE: Hamilton shares picture in red as Ferrari switch made official

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