Lewis Hamilton Reveals Debut Race Target Ahead Of Australian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton can’t wait to get behind the wheel of his Ferrari in live competition for the first time, but he’s keeping a lid on his expectations ahead of his debut race for the team.

Hamilton will take to the track at Albert Park for the first free practice session of the Australian Grand Prix as the F1 season opener gets underway in Melbourne, and he said that he’s excited to get this new chapter of his career off and running.

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“I’m very, very fortunate,” he told reporters at the drivers’ press conference ahead of the first round of the 2025 F1 season

“I’ve had this amazing career here in Formula 1. And starting with McLaren here in 2007 was an epic feeling. And then starting with the new team again, with Mercedes, was again, incredibly special.

“I think this is very reminiscent, probably of my first year. I think for all those years I’ve gone up and down the paddock looking at and seeing the red, the red garage, and now I’m actually in the red garage. So it’s a really nice feeling.”

All eyes will be on Hamilton this weekend, with the world hoping to see whether his move from Mercedes to Ferrari will ignite another potential championship challenge from the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton suggested that we won’t get all the answers in Melbourne, and was keen to play down expectations ahead of his first race weekend with the team.

“Joining a new team, the sooner you can get to performing at the high level and getting results, the better,” he admitted.

“But inevitably, there is a transition period, and there is a foundation that’s needed to be built – that’s what we’ve been doing over the past couple of months.

“The first half of the season really is kind of that foundation, building those relationships, the trust you’re building with absolutely every single person within the team that you get to work in.

“And it’s not something you just step into the in the door and trust and respect… While respect is given, trust is something that’s built over time.”

Hamilton is still very much in the getting-to-know-you phase of his Ferrari career, and much will be learned from his opening race weekend as he embarks on a new chapter of his career in a new team, with a new car, and a new race engineer.

It’s a complete reboot for Hamilton, but he made the move for one reason – to win – and he said that he hopes to be challenging at the sharp end of the pack with his new team.

“I think for me, of course, the goal is to win, and the goal is to take the team forwards,” he said.

“I’ve had some not-so-spectacular the years, and I’m trying to see if I can have a better year than I have the last three. And, yeah, there’ll be lots of factors which will connect to that.”

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“What would I be happy with coming away this weekend? I don’t know. As I said, I don’t have expectations. I think I just ultimately want to come away knowing that I’ve given absolutely everything, and I’ve excelled in in the way that I know I can, that I felt comfortable in the car, and and just one foot in front of the other.

“So, I don’t know what that means in results, but of course, we won’t know till tomorrow where we’re about to truly stand within the top teams. But I’m hoping that we’re able to compete for the top five (chuckles). So, somewhere in that space.”

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