Hamilton issues staggering Ferrari v Mercedes comparison claim

Lewis Hamilton has shared his early feelings regarding the Ferrari F1 car after his first experience at pre-season testing.

The seven-time champion jumped behind the wheel of the SF-25 on Wednesday morning to take part in his first official session as a Ferrari driver.

Hamilton has made the switch from Mercedes, bringing an end to his long-standing career with the Brackley-based squad.

Having endured a difficult final few years with the team, Hamilton admitted he is avoiding falling into the trap of judging the car's potential too early at Ferrari.

“The last four years or so, I've learned that you really can't judge too much from the first outlook,” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.

“I definitely think in past years, particularly in the previous generation of car, it was much easier to know where you stood quite early on with that early feeling.”

However, it has not stopped Hamilton from acknowledging the current feeling trumps the experiences he has had in recent years.

“I would say this is the most positive feeling that I've had in a long time,” he said. “That's all I can really say for now.”

Hamilton highlights importance of 'vital' F1 testing

Hamilton will round out Ferrari's testing programme on Friday afternoon, taking over driving duties from team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The next time Hamilton jumps behind the wheel of the SF-25, it will be the first practice session of the year in Australia.

“It's so short for everyone, but these are a really vital few days that you get in the car,” Hamilton said.

“We're just focusing on doing the best job we can with what we have and understanding the package we have. 

“For me, I'm learning more and more of how the team likes to work, and making small tweaks here and there to improve my efficiency and the efficiency of how we work together. 

“It's been really positive.”