For the primary 18 years of his illustrious Formulation 1 profession, Lewis Hamilton was firmly rooted inside British groups. He kicked off his profession at McLaren, one of many UK’s most revered motorsport establishments, situated in Woking, Surrey. His subsequent transfer noticed him be part of Mercedes, whose headquarters, although in Brackley, are nonetheless simply 70 miles from McLaren. Regardless of Mercedes representing Germany on the rostrum, their base in Britain stored Hamilton’s profession firmly linked to the nation.
For a lot of F1 followers, notably British supporters, following Hamilton was a pure extension of supporting the homegrown expertise. All through his profession, he shared the storage with fellow Brits, together with Jenson Button at McLaren and George Russell at Mercedes. Nevertheless, this chapter of his journey took a dramatic flip when he signed with the Scuderia, the one main staff in Formulation 1 that doesn’t have a base within the UK.
Not like the opposite groups, Ferrari is predicated in Maranello, Italy, and is deeply intertwined with the nation’s nationwide id. Whereas groups like Sauber/Audi are shifting nearer to the UK, Ferrari stays firmly rooted in Italy, with its racing heritage and passionate fanbase often called the Tifosi. Ferrari’s robust ties to their residence nation set them other than groups like Purple Bull, who, regardless of their Italian origins in Faenza, are more and more aligned with their Milton Keynes headquarters within the UK.
In his new position, Lewis Hamilton has embraced the problem of connecting with the Tifosi, studying Italian to type a bond with the staff’s loyal supporters. But, regardless of his transfer to Ferrari, his reference to British followers stays unbroken.
Forward of his first official look for Ferrari on the F1 75 season launch in London, Sky Sports activities F1 presenter Craig Slater famous one thing surprising. Observing the scene, Slater identified the massive variety of British F1 followers carrying Ferrari merchandise, an unusual sight provided that Ferrari drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, and Michael Schumacher had lengthy been rivals to British heroes.
The Sky Sports activities information reporter speculated that with Lewis Hamilton now becoming a member of the Scuderia, Ferrari’s recognition within the UK might soar. As the primary British driver to race full-time for Ferrari since Eddie Irvine left in 1999, Hamilton brings a recent wave of British fan curiosity to the enduring staff. Most of the British driver’s loyal followers, who’ve supported him by way of his years at Mercedes, are anticipated to observe him to Ferrari. The divide between supporting drivers or groups has at all times existed, however Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari is certain to shift the stability for a lot of followers within the UK. He identified that there was one thing uncommon to watch, noting that it was uncommon to see so many individuals in Ferrari colors within the UK. The Sky Sports activities F1 presenter instructed that, prior to now, many of those people might need been seen carrying Mercedes clothes as an alternative.
Lewis Hamilton has shared a easy however significant message with Ferrari followers after getting behind the wheel of their new F1 automobile for the primary time.
On Wednesday, Hamilton had his first alternative to drive Ferrari’s 2025 F1 automobile, marking a major step in his profession transition. Along with Charles Leclerc and staff principal Fred Vasseur, he made his method again to Maranello from London in time for the automobile’s shakedown session.
Reflecting on his testing expertise, Hamilton admitted that, not like his time at Mercedes, he’s been having fun with himself extra within the early phases. Regardless of a crash with the 2023 Ferrari throughout testing in Barcelona, the thrill of fulfilling a long-held dream hasn’t been diminished.
Following the filming day, Hamilton took to social media, posting ‘Grazie Tifosi’ as a heartfelt because of the passionate Ferrari supporters who had gathered to see him in motion. The group at Maranello reminded him of the environment surrounding his early days in testing, and as soon as once more, he took the time to greet the followers.
The official second everyone seems to be ready for is 16 March, when Hamilton will make his Ferrari debut on the Australian Grand Prix. With excessive hopes for fulfillment, he goals to observe within the footsteps of Fernando Alonso by securing a victory in his very first race with the staff.
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