Lewis Hamilton has revealed it was "gut instinct" that resulted in him opting to quit the sanctity of Mercedes and join Ferrari.
The seven-time F1 champion this week embarked on what is expected to be the final chapter of his storied F1 career as he was shown around the Scuderia's Maranello factory on Monday before conducting 30 laps of the Fiorano circuit 48 hours later in a two-year-old Ferrari.
The move is the realisation of a long-held dream for Hamilton, who has finally emerged from under Mercedes' protective wing, in particular after spending 11 years with the F1 team that helped him win six of his titles.
When the move was announced a year ago, it sent shockwaves through F1, which have again reverberated over the past few days in the wake of the 40-year-old donning a red race suit and getting behind the wheel of the SF-23.
As to why he made the leap, speaking in an interview with LinkedIn, on which he confirmed his 'job' move earlier this month, Hamilton said: "Ultimately, every new opportunity is a total leap of faith.
"None of us can predict the future, so changing jobs, or in my case teams, is always going to come with some level of risk.
"But I believe there's more of a risk in staying somewhere you're comfortable and in getting complacent.
"Call it instinct or a gut feeling, but I knew that signing with Ferrari was the right move for me and that it would give me the challenge I needed.
"There are so many incredible people in the team that I can't wait to work with, and I have total faith that we'll achieve great things together.”
Hamilton pushed by proactive mindset
The feeling is Hamilton will be reinvigorated by his switch to Ferrari after seemingly growing stale at Mercedes, and frustrated at the difficulty in being provided with a car to suit his driving style under the current ground-effect regulations.
Hamilton, though, will continue to adopt a similar approach to the coming season as he has over the years, no matter how they have ultimately transpired.
"I look at every Formula 1 season like a new chapter," added Hamilton.
"Even in the years when I've won races, trophies and championships, I've known that nothing is guaranteed for the season ahead.
"My approach is to work hard every single day to make sure when I get back in that car I'm not just as good as I was the season before, but better.
"That mindset, and continually making progress no matter how big or small, is what has pushed me to achieve more than I ever thought possible."
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