Aiming to win a record eighth drivers’ title, Lewis Hamilton has opened up about the romanticism around Ferrari, his immediate reaction after team principal Fred Vasseur offered him a contract, and the sentiments that motivated his signing with the most successful F1 team of all time.
When Ferrari dropped the bombshell on February 1 last year that Hamilton would don the iconic rosso corsa from 2025 onwards, the F1 community, understandably, was taken aback. After twelve seasons and winning six drivers’ world titles with the team, many had assumed that the 40-year-old would eventually bid his farewell to the sport as a Mercedes driver.
Leaving aside Ferrari’s ambitious development direction for 2026, when new aerodynamic and power unit regulations will come into effect, there’s also a romantic element that seems to have inspired Hamilton’s decision. His childhood idol Ayrton Senna had intended to race for the illustrious Italian team at some point in his career before he passed away in a tragic crash at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.
Ferrari exceeding Hamilton’s expectations so far
When asked about the myth of racing for Ferrari and the magical connotations attached to it in a press conference during pre-season testing, the seven-time world champion responded that they have surpassed all his expectations in the first few weeks. Revealing how the sentiments of passion and pride are significantly heightened within the walls of Maranello, he remarked how they serve as a source of inspiration to people across Italy.
Hamilton also acknowledged the warm welcome he has received from the impassioned Tifosi and stated that he is grateful to experience their support for the first time as an official Ferrari driver.
“It definitely has. Yeah, I think it’s one thing seeing it from outside but then when you’re actually in it, it’s pretty extreme.
“It’s pretty incredible just from seeing, you know, speaking to the whole team, seeing the whole team at the factory all in one space, for example, and just seeing how passionate, excited everyone [is] walking around all the different departments and people who just live and breathe Ferrari.
“It’s what you grow up dreaming of getting to work at, you know, in those smaller places, towns in Italy where they’ve grown up dreaming of one day being there so that you know how proud they are to work there, and how much pride they take in their work is really beautiful to see.
“And, then it’s the Tifosi. I could see it obviously watching Charles [Leclerc] and Carlos [Sainz] over the years and with Sebastian [Vettel], but to be on the receiving end of it, it’s a new experience that I couldn’t have imagined exactly.”
Hamilton’s feelings after speaking to Vasseur and decision to sign with Ferrari
Hamilton boasts a long-standing relationship with current Ferrari boss Vasseur. After emerging victorious in Formula 3, he raced for the Frenchman’s team again in 2006 and won the GP2 title.
The 56-year-old has recently disclosed that the initial talks with Hamilton began at the 2023 Monaco GP. Although the 105-time race winner went on to renew his contract with Mercedes in September of the same year, Ferrari managed to take advantage of a break clause and secure his services.
In his interview with TIME magazine, Hamilton addressed the moment Vasseur had gotten in touch with him with the intention of finalising a deal with Ferrari in December 2023 and his immediate emotions.
“I remember getting off the phone and almost shaking; I was like, ‘Oh God!’
“I was like, ‘Holy sh-t.’ I literally just signed with Mercedes.
“It was a lot to take in, and my emotions were really high. So I honestly had to go for a walk.”
Although the decision to switch colours after building an illustrious legacy with Mercedes wasn’t an easy one, the Brit commented that a sense of excitement pushed him to fulfil his lifelong dream of racing in Ferrari red.
“This is the right thing for me.
“We’re in a time of reimagining the future, reimagining what really dreaming is about. I’m going to Ferrari, man, and that’s the biggest dream.
“You can’t stand still for too long. I needed to throw myself into something uncomfortable again. Honestly, I thought all my firsts were done. Your first car, your first crash, your first date, first day of school. The excitement I got by the idea of, ‘This is my first time in the red suit, the first time in the Ferrari.’ Wow. Honestly, I’ve never been so excited.”
