Lewis Hamilton calls Sebastian Vettel for advice before Ferrari test drive

According to the Italian newspaper Corriere, Lewis Hamilton reportedly contacted Sebastian Vettel, his former rival in F1 and close friend, in recent weeks to prepare for his first day at Ferrarii.

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, who both debuted in F1 in 2007, were fierce rivals at one time, but developed a close friendship over the course of their battles for the title. Sebastian Vettel, a four-time world champion, left F1 at the end of the 2022 season after six seasons with Ferrari from 2015 to 2020.

During this period, Sebastian Vettel competed against Lewis Hamilton for the world title in 2017 and 2018, without success. He also collaborated with Riccardo Adami, who will be the British driver’s race engineer, during his first season at Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton asks for advice

As a close friend, it is not surprising that Lewis Hamilton sought to benefit from Sebastian Vettel’s advice and to rely on his experience at Ferrari before his highly anticipated move to the Scuderia, after a brilliant 12-year career at Mercedes.

Now a seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton hopes to accomplish what Sebastian Vettel could not: ending Ferrari’s long wait for a world title in F1.

On Wednesday, Lewis Hamilton drove a Ferrari F1 car for the first time on the Fiorano circuit, under the gaze of many tifosi who came to Maranello to see their new hero behind the wheel of a 2023 Ferrari SF-23.

A beautiful relationship between the two drivers

During the announcement of Sebastian Vettel’s retirement in 2022, Lewis Hamilton described him as one of his allies in the sport.

Naturally, my first reaction is a certain sadness that he is stopping, Lewis Hamilton had said. I haven’t had much time to reflect on the entire journey we’ve shared, but I would say he is one of the few people who have made this journey less lonely.

Lewis Hamilton praised Sebastian Vettel’s courage and commitment to standing up for his beliefs, highlighting that he is one of the most remarkable figures in F1: « When we talk about legends in our sport, I think Vettel is a true one. We need more people like him. »

Lewis Hamilton concluded by expressing his optimism about their lasting friendship and the possibilities for future collaborations outside of F1.

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