"I'm a little bit nervous": Lewis Hamilton to Fred Vasseur on his first visit to the Ferrari headquarters

Lewis Hamilton mentioned that he was a "little bit nervous" on his first visit to the headquarters in Maranello. The seven-time F1 world champion finally made his much-awaited arrival to the Italian team. He first announced the move in February last year.

The British driver activated his release clause from his Mercedes contract and left the German deal a year early in his bid to get the opportunity of a lifetime to drive for the Prancing Horse. However, due to some commercial commitments with the Brackley-based outfit in late December and the winter break, the 40-year-old's first visit to Ferrari headquarters was delayed.

In a video posted by F1's official website on their X account, Lewis Hamilton told the Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur that he was nervous, saying:

"I'm a little bit nervous to come and see everybody today."

Lewis Hamilton is scheduled to have his first run in a Ferrari car on Wednesday, January 22, at the company's private track in Fiorano. The British driver will drive the 2023 Challenger SF-23 to better understand the machinery before doing some test runs in the Ferrari's 2025 car before the launch on February 19 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Lewis Hamilton releases his first statement as a Ferrari driver

Lewis Hamilton stated that he would never forget his first day as a Ferrari driver and thanked key people like John Elkann, Fred Vasseur, and Benedetto Vigna who made the move possible for him.

On the team's official website, the 105-time race winner said:

"There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever and today, my first as a Scuderia Ferrari HP driver, is one of those days. I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realize that dream today. I’m incredibly grateful to John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna, Fred Vasseur, and everyone at Ferrari for their trust in me and making me part of this family.

"I’m so excited to start this new era and to meet and work with a hugely talented and inspiring group of people."

Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari on a multi-year deal and will be racing alongside Charles Leclerc for the Italian team, at least until the end of the 2026 season with an option to extend it by a year.