Indeed, so at home has Hamilton made himself and so familiar he already looks interacting with his Ferrari teammates in Bahrain it seems hard to imagine that for so long he has been clad in Mercedes silver.
These are then still early days at Ferrari but alongside the serious faces of mechanics and engineers who have to pack an awful lot of work into three short days, there is also a palpable sense of optimistic zeal around the Scuderia.
Intriguingly, Hamilton’s car too had caught the eye, not least of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, whose cars have dominated the sport since the regulation changes of 2022.
Hamilton looked relaxed and at ease with his new helmet, in the bright Modena yellow of Ferrari, setting off the distinctive overalls of rosso corsa.
Hamilton has always been a star but, entering his 19th Formula One season with a new start at Ferrari, he is now burning brightly.
