Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 move to Ferrari has raised several questions, including whether he would need to relocate to Maranello or learn Italian.
Ahead of the Briton’s highly anticipated switch, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has addressed these concerns, clarifying the situation as Hamilton’s transition draws near.
The seven-time world champion announced his bombshell signing with Ferrari in February, sending shockwaves across the paddock with his decision to part ways with Mercedes after a successful 12-season partnership that saw six drivers’ titles and eight Constructors’ Championships.
Many expected that Lewis Hamilton’s retirement from Formula 1 would come during his time with Mercedes. However, his move to Ferrari not only suggests that retirement is still far off, but also signals his determination to pursue an eighth championship title, continuing his quest with the Scuderia.
Speculation suggested that Lewis Hamilton might need to relocate to Maranello next season. Currently based in Monaco, his commute to Maranello is shorter than to Mercedes’ headquarters in Brackley.
However, his new team principal has clarified that there is no requirement for Hamilton to live in Maranello, especially given his frequent travels to various Grand Prix circuits around the world. Speaking at Ferrari’s annual end-of-season press conference, Vasseur said:
“I think it’s not the issue because we will start the season doing some tests, then you are going for the first five races in six weeks that we won’t be able to come back in the factory.
“You know that the seasons now are a bit crazy.”
When asked about the possibility of Hamilton learning the local language, Vasseur, who himself has yet to master it, commented:
“It’s a touchy point for me.
“You know that 99 percent of the job is in English.
“I think it’s good to speak a little bit Italian for the mechanics and for the relationship into the team.
“But I’m not sure that it’s crucial for the performance.”
Speaking on how easy it was to convince a multi-year world champion to sign a contract with Ferrari, Vasseur explained:
“In 2023 we won more races than Mercedes, first, and the beginning of the season was good also.
“It was not too difficult to convince him that Ferrari will be a good project.
“And I think he had the project to drive for Ferrari in his mind for at least 22 years or 23 years, because we were discussing about this in 2004. It means that it was not too difficult.
“I think sometimes it’s also a matter of coincidence, or to align all the planets – that he is on the market, that Ferrari has a seat available, and so and so and so. But the contact was an easy one, we started to discuss one year ago and it was not difficult to convince him at all.”
