Janice R. Andrews
At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola in May, a sign made just for the race showed Ferrari’s 2025 lineup in perfect order. Lewis Hamilton played Jesus, Charles Leclerc played Mary, and Frédéric Vasseur, the team’s manager, played the pope. This picture shows how excited and hopeful Ferrari fans, or tifosi, are about Hamilton’s possible move to the Scuderia. Should the seven-time world champion decide to switch, fans will be so excited for next year’s Italian Grand Prix that it will be near holy.
It’s easy to feel the excitement as Hamilton puts on the famous red overalls. A Ferrari win at Monza is one of the most exciting things to see in racing. Michael Schumacher was Ferrari’s most successful driver. He won five times at the famous track between 1996 and 2006, which is still seen as the team’s golden age. Fernando Alonso, who also used to race for Ferrari, has said that his win at Monza in 2010 was the best moment of his career. Charles Leclerc’s win in 2019 made it even clearer that he will be a future Ferrari star.
But Hamilton is used to having huge fans behind him. It was clear that he is loved and admired in the UK when he broke his 31-month winless streak with a record-setting ninth British Grand Prix victory last month at Silverstone. The tifosi, on the other hand, are very moved by their music. When it comes to Formula 1, no other team has had as much support as Ferrari, and Hamilton is about to feel it all the way.
Ferrari: The National Team of Italy
Giancarlo Fisichella, who was the last Italian to drive for Ferrari in Formula 1, knows more than most about how important Ferrari is to Italy. He says, “In Italy, football and Formula One are the most important sports.” “Most dads teach their kids about the world when they are born, like the football team or the Formula One team, which is Ferrari.” A lot of Italians see Ferrari as more than just a team; it’s a sign of national pride.
Fisichella joined Ferrari in 2009 to take over for Felipe Massa. He made his start for the team at Monza. Even though he came in ninth, racing for Ferrari at the famous track is still one of his favorite memories. He says, “It was amazing.” “I raced a lot in Formula One. I won races and had a lot of great times, but racing for Ferrari in an F1 grand prix at Monza was truly amazing.” It seemed like I was in a dream because all the fans were with me and the stands were filled with red flags and colors. It was true, though.
Hamilton isn’t just excited to put on the red overalls when he joins Ferrari. It’s about trying to get the eighth world title that he almost got in the controversial season end of 2021. Driven by his desire to join Mike Hawthorn and John Surtees as the third British driver to win a world championship with Ferrari. That’s not all. He also wants to make Abu Dhabi right and get back the title that was taken from him.
The Weight of Hope
But there is a lot of pressure to drive for Ferrari. The tifosi are passionate, but they also expect a lot. People will have even higher hopes for Hamilton and the team, which hasn’t won a crown since 2008. Hamilton has seven titles and 105 wins.
Charles Leclerc, who is currently Ferrari’s star driver, recently talked about how driving for the Scuderia brings extra attention. “Being Ferrari in general means that whenever something happens at Ferrari, it makes more of a mess than at any other teams,” he said.
Since Rob Smedley worked for Ferrari for ten years as Massa’s race engineer, he is well aware of the stress that comes with the job. “If you work at Ferrari and are a well-known person like the team principal, some of the more well-known engineers, or the well-known drivers, the pressure of playing for the national team is huge,” he says. There is a lot of emotion among the Titos, and the media will let you know very quickly if you’re doing a good job.
Accepting the Culture of Maranello
For Hamilton to be successful, he needs to learn how Ferrari works. The person in charge of the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Michele Pignatti Morano, agrees with this. He says, “When we lose, everyone in Italy is a coach.” “On Mondays, people come to the museum and say, ‘You should have done that or that,'” I think Italy should be the winner when we lose and the loser when we win.
Smedley thinks that Hamilton’s past experience will help him, even though Ferrari and Mercedes may work in different ways. What they do to Mercedes will be different, he says. “I don’t think that will change what he’s doing at its core, which is trying to lead and help the team make a car that he can drive faster.” But Smedley also says that Hamilton could gain an extra “one or two percent” by becoming part of the Ferrari and Maranello group, like Schumacher did.
Smedley learned Italian not long after he joined Ferrari. This helped him get along with the team and the fans. Hamilton might not be able to fit in as well because he is a world celebrity, but if he tried to become a part of the Maranello community, the tifosi might like him even more.
A New Beginning for Hamilton
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is the start of a new chapter in his long and successful career. It’s likely that the tifosi will accept him, just like they did with Schumacher, but Hamilton also needs to accept Ferrari’s attitude and drive. He could start at Ristorante Montana, a Maranello tradition that is only 200 meters from Ferrari’s Fiorano test track. There are wood-paneled walls in the restaurant that are famous for having pictures of past and present Ferrari drivers sitting with “Mamma” Rossella Giannini, who is co-owner and cook.
It makes Giannini happy to think that Hamilton might race for Ferrari. “We hope he can come in.” “I’m very happy when the racers come in wearing red overalls,” she says. Giannini is sure she can meet Hamilton’s needs, even though he only eats plants. “It’s fine to eat here,” she says, pointing out how good the food is.
When asked what his thoughts are on Hamilton’s chances of winning a title for Ferrari, Giannini stays positive and uses the word “spera” several times. Even though Ferrari might not be in the running for the title right now, the idea of Hamilton winning even one race, especially at Monza, would be a big deal for the tifosi.
When Schumacher joined Ferrari in the 1990s, it was the start of a great age for the team. Hamilton could do the same thing for the Scuderia. The tifosi are ready to greet him with open arms, but that welcome comes with a lot of pressure and hope. It would be great if Hamilton could get used to the Ferrari way of life and share the tifosi’s love for the sport. He might even be able to win his eighth world title, which he has yet to do.
