Lewis Hamilton has given Ferrari fans a significant boost ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season following his promising performance during pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. The seven-time world champion expressed his excitement about his new journey with Ferrari, suggesting that he feels more positive than he has in a long time. Hamilton’s enthusiasm comes after a difficult few years at Mercedes, where he struggled to match the dominance of previous seasons between 2014 and 2020.Hamilton, who joined Ferrari in a high-profile move, completed a solid 162 laps across the three-day testing event. He not only showcased his skill behind the wheel but also made a strong impression on the timing sheets. On Day 2 of the test, Hamilton’s lap time was the second-fastest overall, a sign of the strong potential in the SF-25 car. Throughout the test, he was consistently near the top, with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc also putting in impressive performances, further fueling the excitement within the Scuderia camp.With his move to Ferrari, Hamilton has set his sights on securing an elusive eighth world championship title. After three seasons of disappointment with Mercedes, Hamilton is hoping that his new partnership with Ferrari will allow him to once again compete for the top honors in Formula 1. The 2024 season had been a tough one for him, but his positive outlook during the Bahrain test has instilled confidence that he can get back to challenging for titles.Ferrari’s impressive showing during testing has added to the belief that they are ready to compete for the 2025 title. In a GPFans poll asking readers which team emerged as the winner of pre-season testing, Ferrari dominated with 41% of the vote, highlighting the optimism surrounding their 2025 prospects. The team’s performance during the test was solid, with both Hamilton and Leclerc consistently among the fastest, showing that their new car is well-suited to the demands of modern F1 racing.While Ferrari looked strong, the reigning 2024 constructors’ champions, McLaren, were once again seen as the team to beat in 2025. However, their final day of testing may have undermined their otherwise solid performance. Lando Norris, who has been one of McLaren’s star performers in recent seasons, struggled with the rear end of his car on the final day, almost losing control and crashing into the barriers at one point. Despite these challenges, McLaren still finished second in the poll with 21% of the vote, a sign that they remain a major contender for the upcoming season.Another team that showed strong potential was Williams, who claimed third place in the poll with 19% of the votes. Carlos Sainz, who has made the switch to Williams, set the fastest lap of the testing event, while his teammate Alex Albon displayed solid pace on Day 3. This raised hopes that Williams, who have been improving over the last few seasons, could be in the mix for podium finishes in 2025.In stark contrast to these rising teams, Red Bull faced a disappointing pre-season test. The team, which has been dominant over the last few seasons, received only 4% of the vote in the GPFans poll, signaling that fans and pundits are not currently seeing them as the favorites going into 2025. Both Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson struggled to extract the expected performance from their RB21 cars during testing. Despite this, Red Bull remains hopeful that these issues are merely teething problems, with the team confident that they will sort out any performance issues before the season begins.Red Bull’s struggles in testing have raised questions about their ability to maintain the dominant form they’ve shown in recent years. While their rivals, particularly Ferrari and McLaren, appear to be gaining ground, the team will be hoping that their issues are temporary and that they will be able to return to their winning ways once the season kicks off.As the 2025 Formula 1 season draws closer, all eyes will be on how Hamilton adapts to life at Ferrari and whether his new team can challenge for both the driver’s and constructor’s titles. With the competition from McLaren, Williams, and a still-strong Red Bull, the upcoming season promises to be one of the most thrilling in recent memory.
