The spectre of Lewis Hamilton hangs over Sainz and Leclerc. JONATHAN McEVOY on the day the Brit became 'the unmentionable' one at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton wasn’t there in fact, but he was there in spirit, his name and reputation hanging over Ferrari’s car launch in Maranello on Tuesday.

So obvious was the notion of the seven-time world champion’s impending arrival for 2025 that the highly capable Spaniard Carlos Sainz, whose seat Hamilton will take, did not mention his name once in the media call he did over Zoom.

Sainz, 29, was asked whether he had spoken to his replacement since news broke earlier this month of the Briton’s departure from Mercedes to drive in red, but he tactfully sidestepped the question. Ferrari’s media woman politely insisted that no other reference to the ‘unmentionable one’ – my words, not hers – would be countenanced.

We have a year of this avoidance to go, and it won’t be easy for anyone involved to deal with. Nor will the transfer be easy to smooth over at Mercedes, with 12 months of awkwardness to come as George Russell quietly, or otherwise, transitions from heir to king.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (L), team principle Frederic Vasseur (C) and Carlos Zainz Jr (R) were all pictured ahead of the unveiling of the team’s new car for the upcoming F1 season

Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season and take Sainz’s seat, was not in attendance at the unveiling

The Italian team are hoping that their new car, the SF-24, will help them win their first constructor’s championship since 2008

For Sainz, he has one year to fulfil his dream of winning the title where he is, his future beyond that uncertain. He drove the new car, the scarlet year’s challenger to the mighty world champions Red Bull, earlier in the day around the factory’s adjoining Fiorano test track, which, prior to his death in 1988 aged 90, was within sight and earshot of founder Enzo Ferrari’s cottage.

Five laps for Sainz; three for Charles Leclerc, who may have been as discombobulated as his team-mate by the news that Hamilton was on his way in. Aged 26, Leclerc was singled out as Ferrari’s future, a young talent from Monaco backed by them for greatness.

He has signed a new deal to be with the Scuderia until the end of 2029, a contract long enough, perhaps, to assuage his unavoidable anxiety at Hamilton’s arrival, aged 39. Leclerc, a five-time race winner, remains the long-term hope.

All three men carry weight on their shoulders. For Ferrari has a mystique in Italy, and more widely in the motor-racing world. If you become their world champion – the first since Kimi Raikkonen pipped Hamilton to the crown in his unforgettable debut blaze in 2007 – it would be akin to being a World Cup-winning England manager. That may be a slight exaggeration, but not much of one.

It was confirmed earlier in February that Hamilton had agreed a deal worth over £40million to join Ferrari from Mercedes

But Sainz, speaking to the media, revealed he had been given some ‘time to digest’ the news that Hamilton would be replacing him

As a Ferrari star you are taken to the hearts of the tifosi, and should Hamilton get off to a good start, and energises the team to work to his needs as all great champions do, and plays to the sensitivities of the fans with a few words of Italian as he unquestionably will, he might yet be their greatest hero, the man who won his eighth world title at the most fabled of marques.

Of Hamilton’s arrival, Sainz, the only non-Red Bull winner during Max Verstappen’s quick march to title glory last year, triumphing in Singapore, said: ‘From my side you can understand I got to know the news a bit earlier than anyone else and I had some weeks to reflect and prepare and some weeks to also get ready for the car launch and the first race of the season (in Bahrain on March 2).

‘That gave me a bit of time to digest it and to draw my own conclusions and to focus on the 2024 season.

‘I have had a lot of messages of support which I would like to thank the F1 world for and friends back at home. All of them have been very supportive and very encouraging.

‘My next team, I don’t know yet and I have time to decide when that happens next. There are plenty of options out there.

‘I am approaching the most important three or four years of my career and I want to make sure that I am in the right place.

‘I am going to listen to all the options so when I take the decision I have to give myself enough time with enough information.’

Leclerc (left) has signed a new deal to stay with the Scuderia until the end of 2029

Leclerc added that he believes Ferrari’s new car is more driveable than last year’s model

Mail Sport revealed Ferrari’s overtures to Hamilton last May, and Leclerc acknowledged: ‘This kind of deal is not finalised overnight. It takes a while and I was aware of those discussions before I signed my deal, so it did not come as a surprise.

‘Obviously, Lewis is an incredible driver, the most successful in history, with a lot of experience which he brings to the team which is a good thing.

‘I have had discussions with Lewis especially when everything was announced and official. We texted each other.’

Pre-season testing comes next week in Bahrain, where we will learn the first clues as to whether anyone can match the Red Bull monsters. For now, Leclerc says the car is more driveable than last year’s. He also points to optimism within the camp. A reason, along with Ferrari’s allure and history and prestige, that Hamilton has signed up.