Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari almost took a very awkward turn when he nearly fell out of the car during a demonstration run in Milan. The former Mercedes driver was part of an event in front of 35,000 passionate Tifosi, where he and teammate Charles Leclerc showcased their skills by drifting around the closed-off streets of the city. Hamilton drove the SF-21, the Ferrari from the 2021 season, for the event.
Reflecting on the experience, Hamilton said, “I’ve seen the Tifosi over the years for Sebastian [Vettel], Fernando [Alonso], Charles, and Carlos [Sainz], so I wasn’t surprised.” He added, “Bit by bit, I’m getting to see more and more of the Tifosi and getting to know them a little more. I really want to be able to communicate with them in Italian, so I’ve got to work on it.”
Leclerc, on the other hand, drove the SF90, the car that gave him his first Formula 1 victory in 2019, with wins at both Spa-Francorchamps and Monza.
After the event, Hamilton attempted to step off the car and onto its front wheel, not realizing that the car was elevated. This caused the tyre to spin freely, and as Hamilton lost his balance, he tumbled to the ground. However, he managed to land on his feet, only grazing the side of the tire. A nearby mechanic quickly patted him on the back.
This incident follows another close call for the 40-year-old during pre-season testing, where he nearly lost his footing when stepping off a moving caddy. Leclerc, who was with him at the time, could only watch and laugh as Hamilton looked back at him.
Despite the mishaps, Hamilton remains confident in his pairing with Leclerc, stating, “We are the strongest pairing Formula 1 has probably ever had.”
Charles Leclerc expressed his enthusiasm about his partnership with Lewis Hamilton, revealing that he was pleasantly surprised by how similar their driving styles are.
“I was surprised – our driving style is very similar,” Leclerc said. “We both like to push quite a lot, especially on the entries, and on that, we are quite similar.”
He went on to explain that their shared approach is a positive for the team, as it means they’ll both require similar things from the car. “I think it requires the same thing out of the car, and as a team, that is always a good thing because we’ll definitely push in the same direction. We need the same things, so that was good, and we’re working super well together.”
While they’ve spent a lot of time together off-track, Leclerc admitted that some of their activities, like doing photo shoots, aren’t the most enjoyable parts of the job. “We’ve spent quite a bit of time together since the beginning of the year, less on track, more in the studio for pictures, which is not the part we enjoy the most, but it’s part of the job!”
Leclerc concluded by sharing his excitement for the season ahead and his hopes for Ferrari’s success. “I’m looking forward to racing with him and hopefully bringing Ferrari back to the top.”