WATCH: $57M Ferrari superstar Lewis Hamilton greets fans on his first day at Maranello

Ferrari superstar Lewis Hamilton greets fans on his first day at Maranello (Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton was recently spotted in Maranello in the vicinity of the Ferrari HQ as he greeted some fans gathered to welcome him on his first day with the team. Ferrari's executive chairman, John Elkann, was also seen walking alongside him.

Today (January 20) marked Hamilton's first day in the Ferrari facility as he began working with the team. He was signed prior to the start of the 2024 season and has replaced Carlos Sainz to drive alongside Charles Leclerc this year.

A recent clip emerged on social media in which he waved to fans after his first day with the team.

$57 million-worth Lewis Hamilton (according to Forbes) raced for Mercedes between 2013 and 2024. Having had an extremely successful and dominant spell with the team, it was a surprise when his move to the Italian outfit was announced. However, there were quite a few factors that are said to have contributed to this move.

Mercedes had been suffering with the 2022 aerodynamic regulations, failing to battle for the championship. Hamilton also remained winless between the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the 2024 British Grand Prix. Moreover, they gave him a 1+1 extension contract at the end of 2023, which was reportedly one of the major reasons why he agreed to sign with Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton shares heartfelt post upon fulfilling his 'dream' to race with Ferrari

After his first day at the HQ in Maranello, Lewis Hamilton shared an image of himself standing in a black suit in front of the team's facility with a classic Ferrari F40 in the background.

In the caption, Hamilton hinted that he has always dreamt of racing in red despite his many successful triumphs in the past with other teams.

"There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever and today, my first as a Ferrari driver, is one of those days," he wrote in the post. "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 realise that dream today."