Lewis Hamilton made his track debut with the Ferrari SF-23

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One world champion, made his debut with Ferrari on a chilly Wednesday morning in Maranello, fulfilling his dream of driving in the iconic red of the Italian team.

Hamilton, who announced his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari in February, left the Fiorano garage at 09:16 a.m. local time in the SF-23, an F1 2023 model from the Italian school, where a large crowd had gathered to see his first practice session.

The 40-year-old, who won six world titles at Mercedes, also showcased a bright yellow new helmet during his first official week at Ferrari, which began on Monday at the team’s headquarters.