Revealed: What Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton said in first Italian speech
Lewis Hamilton has been showing off his Italian during a visit to Ferrari's F1 factory.
Lewis Hamilton showed off his Italian when he addressed staff at Ferrari’s F1 base.
The seven-time world champion is continuing his adaptation to his new team after completing a blockbuster switch from Mercedes following 12 years with the Silver Arrows.
Hamilton, who activated a break clause in his Mercedes contract to make the move to Ferrari, has been making an effort to learn Italian and embrace the famous team’s unique culture.
The 40-year-old Briton made a highly-anticipated first visit to Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters last month and has been getting to know the factory and team.
On Wednesday, footage circulated on social media of Hamilton putting his new skill to the test, as he delivered a speech in Italian to the factory for the first time.
It has now been revealed what Hamilton, who was joined on stage by Charles Leclerc and Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur, told his new teammates.
"Thank you all for your warm welcome,” Hamilton said, as per Italian publication AutoRacer.
“I’m happy to start this new adventure with you, in Ferrari. It has always been my dream to be part of this team. I can't wait to work with you. Thank you.”
Lewis Hamilton’s @duolingo (RIP Duo 😔) lessons have paid off! 👀🇮🇹
— Crash.net – Formula 1 (@CRASH_NET_F1) February 12, 2025
The 7x F1 world champ was in Maranello speaking to Ferrari staff in their native language 👏
📹 carminelagamma96pic.twitter.com/UoAu7M5bXc
Ahead of his debut season in the iconic red of Ferrari, Hamilton has been carrying out an extensive pre-season private testing programme.
Hamilton made his on-track debut for Ferrari in their 2023 car at Fiorano, before having a further outing in the SF-23 at Barcelona.
Despite suffering a crash during his second test, Hamilton is reported to have made positive progress with familiarising himself to Ferrari’s cars and procedures.
He then got the chance to pilot a modified version of Ferrari’s 2024 car as part of a 2026 tyre test for Pirelli.
Hamilton will get his first taste of Ferrari’s 2025 challenger on 19 February in a shakedown run at Fiorano.
Following that, Hamilton and Leclerc will get to properly put the SF-25 through its paces during official pre-season testing in Bahrain from 26-28 February.
Hamilton’s eagerly-anticipated Ferrari race debut will come at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 16 March.
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
