Sawt Falasteen - Formula One great Hamilton 'invigorated' by Ferrari move ahead of new season

Seven-times world champion Hamilton has left Mercedes after 12 seasons to join the Italian giants for the upcoming campaign that starts with next month's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Ferrari have been ever present throughout Formula One's 75-year history and the prospect of winning a record eighth drivers' championship with the 'Scuderia' has clearly proved enticing for 40-year-old British motorsport great Hamilton.

"The word I am thinking of is invigorated because I feel so full of life and so much energy because everything is new and I'm just focused on what is up ahead," said Hamilton in a brief on-stage interview -- Ferrari are holding a press conference at their Maranello headquarters on Wednesday.

"I'm so proud to be part of the team, something new and exciting for me," he added following his first public appearance in Ferrari's traditional red racing colours.

His words echoed those of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who earlier Tuesday told reporters his old rival could be "reborn" at Ferrari where he will join Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton ended his more than two-year wait for a win with victory on home soil at the British Grand Prix in July.

Yet he still finished a mammoth 214 points behind Verstappen in the drivers' standings as his time at Mercedes -- where he won six titles -- came to a disappointing end.

- 'New motivation' -

But Verstappen, bidding to equal Michael Schumacher's record of five successive drivers' championships, said joining Ferrari could be the change Hamilton needs.

"It will provide him with a different scenery, a new motivation," said Verstappen. "And when you have been with a team for a long time, have won a lot and then had a few tough seasons, maybe your motivation is different.

"Now it is almost like he is reborn.

"We all know how good Lewis is and we all know how good Charles is. Ferrari have two great drivers. It is going to be exciting for the sport, but it will also depend on how good the car is."

Hamilton joins a Ferrari team narrowly pipped to the constructors' championship by McLaren last year.

"I am definitely anticipating Lewis being a championship contender," said McLaren chief executive Zak Brown. "We and Ferrari ended last year with nothing between us and I think that will continue."

Hamilton will have his first serious drive of his new car during next week's lone winter testing session in Bahrain, with Ferrari aiming for their first championship in nearly two decades.

"If Lewis gets off to a good start and he gets the team around him, he will find his confidence and he could be a real contender for this world championship," said Christian Horner, the principal of Verstappen's Red Bull team.

Horner added: "But if he doesn't get off to a good start, it will inevitably be harder for him."

Tuesday's glitzy event saw all 10 Grand Prix teams launch their new cars at the same venue, the first time this has happened in Formula One history.

"It's difficult to get most teams to agree what day of the week it is," said Horner. "So, to get all 10 teams here launching their cars tonight, it's been a big effort."

"It's a show very much for the fans," he added, with the launch presented by British comedian Jack Whitehall and also featuring US rapper Machine Gun Kelly before finishing with a performance by 1990s UK pop band Take That.

T.Khatib--SF-PST