Lewis Hamilton’s first visit to Maranello as a Ferrari driver was a huge moment in Formula 1. Last week, he arrived at the team’s headquarters, met his new colleagues, and spent time in the simulator before hitting the track.

On Wednesday, he then drove Ferrari’s 2023 car at Fiorano, completing 30 laps and officially beginning this exciting new chapter in his career, with hundreds of passionate Tifosi gathering around the track as well as in Maranello the days before, hoping to catch a glimpse of the seven-time world champion.

Interestingly, Hamilton wasn’t the only F1 driver present as Esteban Ocon, who has moved from Alpine to Haas, was also there for simulator work. Since Haas doesn’t have its own simulator, Ocon used Ferrari’s as part of their partnership.

Speaking to Canal+, he said:  “I was lucky enough to be in the same place on the same day because I was also at the Ferrari simulator.

“There was a crazy atmosphere, people were going crazy and it’s just wonderful to see that there’s so much passion for Ferrari, for F1 of course, in the world and that it’s growing all the time.

“It’s clear that to have the greatest driver of our generation in the most successful team is just something crazy. So yeah, I can’t wait to be able to fight on track with him, that’s for sure.”

Haas has a close relationship with Ferrari, relying on them for engines, gearboxes, and suspension. But soon, the team will have its own simulator thanks to a new partnership with Toyota. This will give them more independence and could help improve their performance in the future.