Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari and upcoming debut is likely to cause an unusual problem for Ferrari, according to Italian media.

The seven-time world champion is heading to Maranello for the 2025 season and beyond, with attention now switching to when fans might catch a glimpse of Hamilton in red.

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Hamilton’s grand prix debut with the team will take place in March at the Australian Grand Prix, but the 40-year-old will likely be seen at pre-season testing in February, as well as a test in an old car around Ferrari’s Fiorano track at some point in January.

Both Hamilton and Ferrari’s social media pages have officially confirmed him as a Ferrari driver, following his Mercedes farewells at the end of 2024.

Hamilton’s Ferrari welcome

Now, an Italian journalist has suggested that unusual challenges may be presented to the team after Hamilton’s stunning switch to Ferrari.

The Scuderia’s fans, the Tifosi are known to be very passionate, and they have welcomed some huge names with open arms in recent history, including Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel.

However, the team are faced with giving the most successful driver in F1 history an appropriate welcome to Maranello, with Italian journalist Roberto Chinchero claiming problems could be caused by his popularity.

“A kind of Hamilton mania has already started in Italy,” he told the James Allen on F1 podcast.

“Since the New Year began, there is a big question mark that Italian Ferrari fans are trying to answer – when will the first test of Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari car take place?

“I cannot imagine the number of people that will be around the track. I’m expecting the Maranello and Fiorano streets will be filled with people. I’m expecting something that we haven’t seen in years. It will be hard work for the police.”

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Sergio Perez has issued a Formula 1 return update, as he unveils his future plans.

The 34-year-old was axed from Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season, after a woeful year for the Mexican driver.

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Despite an extraordinary start to his Red Bull career where he clinched crucial wins in Monaco, Baku and Singapore, the 2024 season saw a dramatic decline in Perez’s performance.

The former Red Bull star made several Q1 exits, and his inability to deliver consistent points finishes contributed to the team’s third place finish in the constructors’ championship.

Will Perez return to F1?

Whilst Perez’s contract with Red Bull ran until 2026, he was sacked and replaced by Liam Lawson for the upcoming 2025 season.

Unable to acquire a seat elsewhere, the Mexican faces 2025 off the F1 grid, and has unveiled his plans for the immediate future.

“My priority is to enjoy myself, to do things I haven’t done before, to be with my family. In the next six months I will make a decision about what I want to do next in my career,” he said at a conference, as reported by ESPN Deportes.

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When asked whether a return to the F1 grid was possible, Perez provided an update and stated that it was too early to make a decision.

“It’s too early to give an answer as to whether I intend to return to F1. Everything happened so quickly at the end of last season, I didn’t expect to leave the team.

“My biggest motivation now is to guide my children along the right path and be more present in their lives. I am very excited to be with my family because in F1 you only think about being a better driver, preparing yourself better, you don’t have time for anything else.”

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Carlos Sainz Sr has been ruled out of a 2025 race in a huge shock at the Dakar Rally.

The 63-year-old signed with Ford for their 2025 programme, with the manufacturer and Sainz Sr also being linked with Red Bull.

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Sainz Sr is most famous for his two titles in the World Rally Championship, which he claimed in 1990 and 1992.

Whilst the champion may be retired from the WRC, Sainz Sr has competed in the Dakar Rally since 2006, which he won for the fourth time with Audi last year.

Sainz Sr ruled out of 2025 Dakar Rally

The 2025 Dakar Rally marks the Spaniard’s 19th appearance, but he has been ruled out of the rest of the competition in a huge shock.

Sainz Sr sustained damage during Stage 2 of the event, where his car rolled over and landed on its roof.

Whilst he managed to return and finish the stage, the FIA have since inspected the car and determined that Sainz Sr cannot compete further due to damage to the car’s roll cage structure.

The elimination marks a huge blow to Ford with Sainz’s team-mate Nani Roma already out of contention, in the manufacturers first full-fledged year in the event.

Ford issued a statement which confirmed why they have been ruled out of the remainder of the Dakar Rally, and claimed no repairs could be made to that part of the car.

“Due to the damage sustained to the safety cage of vehicle 225 [Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz] during the accident in the first part of the 48-hour stage of the Dakar Rally 2025 and in accordance with FIA regulations, it has been decided to withdraw the vehicle,” the team wrote.

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