KER-CHING IN CHINA

There could be a Lewis-led recovery on the New York Stock Exchange.

Stock markets have been in a significant slump since the US election but shares in Ferrari are certain to boom now that Sir Lewis Hamilton has scored his first win for the reds.

There has already been a giant surge in merchandise sales, something reflected in a sea of red through the grandstands at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Will a Ferrari boom be enough to offset the slide at Tesla? That's unlikely, but it's still good news for the people who fuelled a $10 billion overnight boost to Ferrari's value on the NYC exchange after the signing of Hamilton.

It is also easily justifying the estimated $100 million annual salary he is banking from Maranello.

Hamilton's first victory for Ferrari was only in the sprint race in China, and he was then disqualified from the main event, but his switch from Mercedes-AMG to the Italian squad is already paying big dividends.

He is also showing the leadership – on the radio and in the car set-up – which took him to seven world titles.

It's hard to know what comes next, for Hamilton, Ferrari, and its fans, but the early signs are good.

And definitely better than the predicted failure of the Hamilton haters who predicted he was old and spent.

One small story tells you just how committed Hamilton is to his time at the reds.

When his long-time personal assistant and fitness guru Angela Cullen quit her job at Mercedes-AMG there were people who predicted it was the beginning of the end.

But . . .

Cullen had a 12-month non-compete clause in her contract and that meant she had to leave the silver squad early – so she would be ready and waiting for Lewis at Ferrari. Watch the television coverage from the paddock and the Ferrari garage and it's clear the couple are working as closely as ever.

The Saturday celebrations in Shanghai were big, even if it was only a Sprint and the Chinese Grand Prix was a relative failure for Ferrari – even before the disqualification of both cars, Hamilton for excessive wear on the 'plank' and Charles Leclerc when his car was underweight.

"To cross the line in red, it is something different, that's for sure," Hamilton said after the Sprint.

"Honestly it feels amazing. It felt great to come here and feel comfortable in the car. Because in Melbourne I really didn't feel comfortable in the car. From lap one here this weekend, really feeling on it."

Hamilton said he is ignoring the online haters, and the doubters in the pitlane, to get on with the job at Ferrari.

"I think what's been important for me and everyone in the team is not to read the headlines, not be distracted by any of that stuff. Just stay on course, do what we do. and Just work hard and keep our heads down.

"Remain focussed, stay calm. Most importantly, stay calm.

"I don't feel the pressure. I know the tifosi, I know the fans, I know the team wants to win.

"It's a marathon, not a sprint, so we've just go to take our time. Rome wasn't built in a a day - one step at a time."