Lewis Hamilton made a memorable appearance on Wednesday, engaging with his enthusiastic fans while taking the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car for the first time since signing with the legendary Italian team for the upcoming 2025 season.

Driving a 2023-spec Ferrari SF-23 adorned with his distinctive racing number, 44, Hamilton showcased a refreshed helmet design featuring bright yellow and the iconic Prancing Horse emblem. The 40-year-old British superstar initiated his first lap at 9:16 a.m. local time, greeted by a light fog covering the Fiorano test track. Despite chilly and damp weather, about 1,000 spectators gathered on a nearby bridge to witness the historic moment, and Hamilton graciously waved to them on two occasions.

As the day progressed, Hamilton took the time to acknowledge the devoted fans who had braved the wet and chilly conditions since early morning for a glimpse of him driving. Dressed in a Ferrari red jacket, he responded warmly, offering a wave, a thumbs-up, and placing a heartfelt hand over his heart.

After a remarkable 12-year stretch with Mercedes—where he captured six of his seven world titles—Hamilton’s shift to Ferrari has sent ripples through the F1 community. The move is seen as the fulfillment of a dream he has cherished since childhood. “I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve things in my career I never thought were possible, but part of me has always clung to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realize that dream today,” Hamilton expressed on Monday, shortly after arriving at Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello for his inaugural day with the team.

Formula 1 regulations impose strict limitations on testing current-specification cars. However, the rules are more lenient regarding older models like the SF-23 that Hamilton operated on Wednesday. According to the regulations for 2025, Hamilton is permitted to accumulate up to 1,000 kilometers (approximately 621 miles) over a span of four days driving older F1 cars, under the “testing of previous cars” clause. The SF-23 currently stands as the latest Ferrari eligible for such testing. Pre-season testing sessions for the upcoming season’s cars are slated to take place from February 26 to February 28 in Bahrain.