For the first time since his one-off cameo alongside Valtteri Bottas at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, George Russell won’t be lining up alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this year.

Formula 1 fans got their first sighting of Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari’s iconic red race suit at the F1 75 launch event on Tuesday evening.

The 40-year-old has already taken part in several private outings for his new team this year, although thousands turned up to see Hamilton’s first test in January and the same thing happened again at Fiorano on Wednesday when the team officially launched their 2025 car.

It highlights the obsession Formula 1 has with Hamilton and the expectation already being placed on him to perform with the sport’s most successful team.

While Hamilton is entering the latest chapter of his F1 adventure, so are Mercedes.

George Russell is joined by rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 2025 and has the added responsibility of being the team’s leader for the first time.

Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari was announced more than a year ago, giving him the chance to say goodbye to Mercedes’ fans at every circuit last season before heading to Maranello.

A special film Mercedes made for Hamilton may never be released to the public but highlighted how important his contribution was to the team over the course of 12 seasons.

George Russell reveals ‘total bombshell’ reaction to Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes

Russell was speaking on Virgin Radio in the build-up to the F1 75 event and was asked about his reaction when he found out Hamilton was moving on.

He said: “I mean, to be honest, it wasn’t a whisper! I heard it for a fact was the first time I heard it.

“It was quite surprising to be honest because these things usually have a way of creeping out into the media and it was just a total bombshell.

“You know, at the end of the day, these things all happen for a reason.

“The sport’s getting bigger and bigger and as I said, I think it’s great for all.”

Ferrari already making adjustments for Lewis Hamilton’s maiden season with the team

On Wednesday, Ferrari officially unveiled the SF-25 to the public and Charles Leclerc was the first driver to take to the track to give it an initial shakedown before testing begins next week.

Hamilton’s turn followed in the afternoon, but due to Formula 1’s new regulations, they could only complete 100km of running each before heading to Bahrain.

Ferrari have made big changes to Hamilton’s car, with Loic Serra playing a pivotal role in its design.

He was also signed from Mercedes and will hope that his previous experience working alongside Hamilton will mean he knows exactly what he needs from this year’s car.

Hamilton struggled to get to grips with the latest generation of Mercedes’ Formula 1 cars, finding they didn’t suit his driving style.

The seven-time world champion has already arrived with a lot of speed into corners and been harsh on the brakes, but this didn’t work well with the ground-effect cars.

Ferrari’s 2025 car should suit him better – given Leclerc’s drive style is very similar – but it won’t be possible to tell how well he’s adapted until the Australian Grand Prix.