Lewis Hamilton has been told by ex-Ferrari boss and current F1 president Stefano Domenicali that he needs to learn Italian if he wants to be fully integrated at the Italian team.
The Brit has opted to take the advice and the former Mercedes man is currently learning a new language as he prepares for his two-year deal in Maranello. Hamilton signed with Ferrari nearly 12 months ago and will finally make the move to the illustrious outfit.
Ferrari are known for being incredibly patriotic and continue to be based out of Italy, unlike many of their rivals who have chosen to locate themselves in England, the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull.
Many of their leading lights and engineers are all Italian and Hamilton will need to quickly pick up the language if he is to easily communicate, Domenicali is adamant that he will need to speak their native tongue.
He told Autoracer : “He will bring a lot of interest. He is learning to speak Italian and to understand how to integrate into our culture. I told him, it is fundamental for him to be able to do this as well. In Ferrari he will find a different environment than before.”
Charles Leclerc, who has been with the team since 2019, is fluent in Italian and often speaks it over team radio. Sebastian Vettel, another former Scuderia driver, was capable of speaking Italian. Hamilton will have to quickly strike up a relationship with Leclerc if they are to have harmony in the team.
Domenicali said: “Charles will obviously have to accept that having someone like Lewis in the house will not be an easy partner. At the same time Lewis will definitely have the ability to transmit this positivity of his in trying to achieve his record.
“He has it as clear as if it were on the centre bar of the Halo. They love each other very much and I hope they will love each other again at the end of the year.”
Despite being a regular near the front, Leclerc is yet to threaten for a title. He has scored eight race wins while being with the Italian team but for the second time he will have a world champion team-mate.
He said: “I’ll be very interested to see what he has done right for all his career to have had all the success he has had. He has only very few soft spots – Well, in fact, I do not know any flaws of Lewis have. He’s exceptionally good, always available, incredibly fast, and very reliable. I think it will be super interesting for me to learn from Lewis as much as to demonstrate what I am capable in the same car as Lewis. These two things excite me a lot.
Hamilton on his part is still out to clinch the eighth title for a world title that will see him stand alone as the most successful driver in the sport. At the moment, he shares the same seven with Michael Schumacher though he has not been the champion since 2020.