With F1’s current regulations now in their fourth year, the performance gaps that gave front-runners comfortable advantages are shrinking fast. Teams that were once struggling to keep pace have had enough time with these cars to catch up on the learning curve. (See: Ferrari and McLaren’s surge last year .)

Fresh off his public debut as a Ferrari driver at Tuesday’s F1 75 Live season launch event, Lewis Hamilton returned to the team’s factory along with Charles Leclerc as Ferrari unveiled the SF-25 and put the 2025 challenger through its paces at the team’s Fiorano test track.

Lewis Hamilton says he is "exactly where I'm supposed to be" after an emotional first day on track in Ferrari's new car.