Lewis Hamilton outdoes Michael Schumacher with Ferrari gesture, F1 icon says
Lewis Hamilton is making a concerted effort to learn Italian and communicate with the Tifosi during his debut season with Ferrari.
Jacques Villeneuve has lauded Lewis Hamilton's dedication to learning Italian, suggesting it puts him a notch above Michael Schumacher in terms of engaging with Ferrari fans. The iconic British driver immersed himself in the local culture at Imola on Sunday, conversing in Italian with the Tifosi whenever he could.
Although his performance on the track is still catching up, Hamilton has been wholeheartedly embracing his January switch to Maranello. The 40-year-old racer has quickly won over the hearts of the Tifosi and is actively learning Italian to communicate with the fans, following guidance from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who told Autoracer: "He is learning to speak Italian and understand how to integrate into our culture.
"I told him it is also essential for him to be able to do this. In Ferrari, he will find a different environment than before."
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At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, in front of an adoring crowd, Hamilton once again peppered his interactions with Italian phrases. During the pre-race driver parade, he addressed the audience in their language, and continued to express his appreciation to the fervent Ferrari supporters in his post-race radio message.
Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, took notice of Hamilton's linguistic efforts and drew parallels to those of Schumacher, another seven-time champion. "Well, mostly for an English-speaking person because you guys never learn foreign languages," he quipped during a conversation with Sky Sports F1.
"It's tough, everyone speaking English! But seriously, I don't remember Schumacher doing that, making that effort, going out there. Seb [Vettel] did, but after how many races? His seventh race, and he's already saying things in Italian. His accent wasn't too bad!"
Hamilton saw a turnaround in fortunes on the track at Imola as well. After being knocked out in Q2 along with team-mate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton began the first of two Ferrari home races in 2025 from the sixth row of the grid, yet Sunday revealed the SF-25's remarkable race pace.
Hamilton managed to lap faster than his Mercedes successor Kimi Antonelli during an extended hard-tyre stint at the race's outset, then overtook Leclerc and Williams' Alex Albon following a late safety car, securing fourth place. Given a few more laps, he would have been vying for a podium finish against Oscar Piastri.
Post-race, Hamilton's voice exuded elation over the team radio. "Thanks so much, mate," he expressed to race engineer Riccardo Adami.
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"What a great race, guys! Fantastic stops, strategy, the car felt great today. I'm so grateful, so proud. Grazie a tutti! And for the Tifosi... that was for them."
