Lewis Hamilton has reportedly made five visits to Ferrari's Maranello headquarters in recent months as he prepares for his new role with the iconic Italian team in 2025.
The La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper claims the 39-year-old has also been taking Italian lessons as part of his transition. The visits have been focused on building relationships with key engineers and becoming familiar with his new cockpit setup.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Ferrari has already accommodated Hamilton's request to move the cockpit position slightly backward. This adjustment addresses a complaint Hamilton has raised repeatedly about the Mercedes 'ground effect' cars since 2022.
As Hamilton's Mercedes stint comes to an end, questions have been raised about his recent form. Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto, now at Audi-Sauber, suggested he might not have signed the seven-time world champion.
"I'm not sure Hamilton would have gone to Sauber either," Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur responded when asked by La Stampa.
"I am happy that so many people have time to comment on our choices. I am focused on our work, and when I was at Sauber I didn't talk about Ferrari."
When discussing Hamilton's struggles in recent months, Vasseur pointed to the challenges of ending a long partnership with Mercedes.
"He is in a complicated situation at the end of a long partnership, also with some frustration," Vasseur explained.
"He always knew it would not be an easy season. From our side, in the last year we have improved everywhere, and I hope the trend continues."
Vasseur remains confident in Ferrari's driver lineup moving forward.
"[Charles] Leclerc is ready for the top, and I won't change my mind about Hamilton," he said.
