‘Zero chance’ Lewis Hamilton will get first Ferrari F1 outing in Abu Dhabi test

It seems Lewis Hamilton will have to wait until 2025 to get his first outing in Ferrari colours.

According to veteran BBC journalist Andrew Benson, there’s “zero” chance Hamilton will be in action for Ferrari in the post-season test following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Writing in a Q&A for BBC Sport, Benson noted: “Zero. Hamilton is under contract to Mercedes until the end of the year, and they say he cannot test for Ferrari at the end of the season, as they have a lot of promotional and farewell work to do after 12 years together - and 18 with Mercedes engines.”

If Hamilton was allowed to drive for Ferrari for the first time, it would have been a momentous occasion.

Fernando Alonso's first outing for Aston Martin in a sponsor-less green machine attracted a lot of interest and attention.

Given Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari caught the attention of the whole sporting world, it would have been a historic moment.

It’s now likely we won’t see Hamilton in Ferrari red until he’s able to drive an older car at the team’s track at Fiorano in 2025.

Hamilton will bow out of Mercedes after 12 years.

The seven-time world champion has won all of his 103 races with Mercedes power, stretching back to his days with McLaren between 2007 and 2012.

Hamilton has won six of his seven drivers’ titles with Mercedes, dominating the sport for a number of years.

Even though the success has dried up since the start of 2022, Hamilton clinched an iconic win on home soil earlier this year at the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton followed it up with another triumph at Spa-Francorchamps, inheriting the victory after George Russell’s disqualification.