Lewis Hamilton isn't about to let age stop him pursuing an historic eighth Formula 1 title with his new team Ferrari. An eighth world title would be an all-time record but winning after turning 40 has been a challenge for even the greatest drivers in F1 history.

Lewis Hamilton appeared in a Ferrari car on the streets of Milan on Thursday as anticipation builds towards his first F1 race for the Scuderia. The 40-year-old, who has moved from Mercedes after 12 years and six world titles, has received a rapturous reception from Ferrari fans since he joined in January.

With F1’s current regulations now in their fourth year, the performance gaps that gave front-runners comfortable advantages are shrinking fast. Teams that were once struggling to keep pace have had enough time with these cars to catch up on the learning curve. (See: Ferrari and McLaren’s surge last year .)