Ferrari chief gives MAJOR update on Hamilton team debut

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has revealed when Lewis Hamilton may first step behind the wheel at his new team.

The British driver is still hunting for an eighth world title, which would be the outright most of any driver in Formula 1 history.

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It will mean a partnership between the most successful driver the sport has ever seen, and the most successful and iconic team on the F1 grid, with Hamilton ditching Mercedes after a highly-successful 12 seasons.

However, Hamilton's debut with the Maranello outfit was recently delayed, when he took part in Mercedes sponsor duties rather than driving in the end-of-season tyre test in Abu Dhabi.

When will Lewis Hamilton make his Ferrari debut?

Now, an update has been given on when we might first see Hamilton in a Ferrari car, before the pre-season test in Bahrain in February.

Hamilton's former GP2 boss Vasseur is set to become his boss once more in 2025, and he has been discussing Ferrari's winter plans.

Hamilton is allowed to drive previous cars before the pre-season Bahrain test as part of the testing of previous cars programme (TPC), and Vasseur has suggested that Hamilton may be able to make use of this time to get himself up to scratch around the Fiorano track, weather permitting.

"Probably yes but we are dependent on the weather, it's not easy in January," Vasseur told Sky Sports.

"It's true that it's quite emotional because I think he has this moment in his mind for probably 20 years. That means it will be emotional - but it has to be emotional for one lap and then to be focused!

"We will have the first test days with TPC and Pirelli and then the launch of the championship first on the 18th [February], then the launch of the car on the 19th and then we will go directly to Bahrain and it will be a tough sequence until Melbourne.

"But it's true that it's a short preparation because we have something like four weeks at the factory before the first event, but it is like it is."

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