SAKHIR, Bahrain — Lewis Hamilton has started Formula One pre-season testing for Ferrari. The 40-year-old British driver announced last year was leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari after spending 11 years and winning six of his seven world titles with the Silver Arrows.

Vasseur said Hamilton was the “perfect fit” for Ferrari right now, while Leclerc thought the Briton was joining at the ideal point as the team’s mentality is now stronger than ever, in part thanks to Vasseur’s leadership. No longer in a rebuild, the championship is a realistic goal for Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton will have a first impression of how his Ferrari rates against the rest when Formula One starts three days of testing in Bahrain on Wednesday with a new crop of cars and drivers. The seven times world champion,