The seven-time world champion transformed his arrival into a celebration of Ferrari heritage and personal ambition.
MONZA, ITALY
Lewis Hamilton arrived at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza behind the wheel of his restored red Ferrari F40, attracting immediate attention before the Italian Grand Prix. The car carried a personalized plate displaying 44, the number Hamilton has used throughout his Formula One career.
Hamilton described the F40 as his childhood dream car. He found the vehicle covered in dust after it had remained almost unused inside a garage for more than three decades. Ferrari’s Classiche department in Maranello subsequently completed the restoration, preserving the historical specifications of one of the manufacturer’s most celebrated road cars.
Produced between 1987 and 1992, the F40 was the final road model approved during Enzo Ferrari’s lifetime. Hamilton revealed that the car had travelled only a few dozen kilometres before its restoration. He also discovered that its engine carried the number 44, a coincidence he interpreted as a special connection between the vehicle and his racing career.
His clothing generated almost as much conversation as the car. Despite the intense summer heat, Hamilton wore a black suit and tie, vintage sunglasses, a black beret and a beige overcoat draped over his shoulders. The carefully constructed appearance recalled the photographs from his first official visit to Ferrari’s headquarters, when he posed beside another F40 after joining the Italian team.
The entrance demonstrated Hamilton’s ability to combine motorsport, fashion and personal storytelling. It also carried particular significance at Ferrari’s home race, where expectations surrounding every driver appearance are amplified by the presence of the tifosi. Before confronting the competitive demands of Monza, Hamilton used an automotive symbol from Ferrari’s past to express how completely he has embraced the team’s identity.
Hechos que no se doblan. / Facts that do not bend.