Lewis Hamilton impressed fans at a Ferrari fan meeting, showcasing his Italian by reading a pre-prepared statement to the crowd. The Brit is working hard to assimilate the Maranello culture and adapt to life in a new country.

The seven-time world champion arrived in Maranello knowing limited Italian and even joked about it last season during his final campaign with Mercedes. At the Monaco Grand Prix in 2024, he said: "I think learning Italian's going to be the hardest, probably. But at the moment getting to the podium probably is the less likely one."

However, Hamilton has been working hard to correct this during the off-season. On his first day with the team in January, he briefly conversed with fans in Italian and has since prepared a speech for the Tifosi in their native tongue.

Translated to English, it read: “Hello everyone. Thank you for your warm welcome. I am happy to start this new adventure with you at Ferrari. It has always been my dream to be part of this team. I can’t wait to work with you. Thank you.”

Hamilton’s speech will bring a smile to the face of F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. The former Ferrari boss told Autosport: “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.”

While Hamilton’s efforts to integrate with Italian culture will go down extremely well with the Tifosi, the Brit will need to back up his hard work with results on the track. He has enjoyed numerous testing outings at the Fiorano track and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya but won’t drive the new car until pre-season testing.

Not everyone is excited about the new partnership, though. Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone told The Telegraph: “He won't last that long. Piero Ferrari, who has taken him there, still thinks they've done the right thing. I hope they have. I hope they haven't just jumped in and end up wishing they hadn’t."

Ecclestone continued: “I have my theory about this. It's not the age with drivers, it's how long they have been doing the same thing. I have thought with Lewis, 'He's getting tired. He has lost motivation. If he had never won a world championship, it might be different, because then there would be an incentive to win one. But he has won seven.”