Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has already beaten the record set by his teammate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
Hamilton's bombshell arrival at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters made headlines as it has been one of the most anticipated moves in Formula 1 history.
With the passionate support of the Tifosi for both Ferrari and Hamilton, this new partnership has launched on a record-breaking high note.
When Hamilton announced his legendary Ferrari move on February 1, 2024, Ferrari's share price reportedly soared more than 10% to hit a new record high on the New York Stock Exchange.
Now that he has already arrived at Maranello, his new team posted the first image of him alongside his favorite Ferrari, the F40, and broke a record set by the other Ferrari driver.
The image features Enzo Ferrari's house in the background with seven windows and a door, symbolic of Hamilton's quest for his eighth world title with Ferrari.
The image in question has broken the record for the most F1 likes on Instagram, a record that Leclerc previously held for his selfie with the Tifosi after his Italian Grand Prix victory in 2024.
While the photo with Leclerc received 4.6 million likes, a two-day-old photo of Hamilton's first day at Ferrari has crossed 5.2 million likes.
The likes reflect the Tifosi's enthusiastic embrace of the 40-year-old driver's partnership with Ferrari.
This dedication was also evident when fans braved the cold weather to witness Hamilton in action.
Some arrived a day in advance, setting up picnic spots to secure their view of the historic moment, while others gathered on the bridge overlooking the track early in the freezing morning, waiting hours before the track action began.
The situation was intense on Monday when Maranello reportedly came to a standstill as crowds flocked to see Hamilton on Day 1 of his Ferrari journey.
Revealing his first official message as a Ferrari driver, the Briton said in a statement:
"There are some days that you know you’ll remember forever and today, my first as a Scuderia Ferrari HP driver, is one of those days.
I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realise that dream today.
"I’m incredibly grateful to John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna, Fred Vasseur and everyone at Ferrari for their trust in me and making me part of this family.
I’m so excited to start this new era and to meet and work with a hugely talented and inspiring group of people. I’m dedicated to bringing everything I have to deliver for the team, the wider organisation and the fans.
"Today we start a new chapter in the history of this iconic team, and I can’t wait to see what story we will write together."
