Ferrari over fashion – Hamilton is prioritising performance amid potential distractions

Lewis Hamilton stated he was delivered a “curveball” of a query on the Miami Grand Prix when he was requested about David Beckham turning 50 this weekend.

The 2 are mates and beforehand shared the identical company and, having just a few seconds to consider his reply, Hamilton spoke extra about what Beckham has executed since retiring from a soccer profession that noticed him win a number of trophies and captain his native England.

It may have been seen as telling that Hamilton was impressed by Beckham’s post-playing profession achievements, given he’s now within the twilight of his time in System 1.

Having gained seven world championships, extra races than anybody else and shone for a lot of a season, Hamilton has hit the skids since shifting to Ferrari for 2025.

Apart from a shock dash race win in Shanghai, the 40-year-old has endured a tricky begin to life with the Scuderia to the extent that Ralf Schumacher has even prompt he ought to retire this summer time.

However, as he addressed the media on Thursday afternoon in Miami, it was apparent that bettering his Ferrari kind is entrance and centre of his thoughts – even when he’s set to co-chair the Met Gala, an annual fundraising occasion at The Metropolitan Museum of Artwork.

Requested what he can be carrying, Hamilton bullishly replied: “I do not even know. I’ve not likely put a lot thought into it.

“It is superb working with Anna (Wintour) and her crew. It has been a privilege. To have the ability to proceed to do stuff in vogue is enjoyable.

“Anna’s been actually understanding – I have never had quite a lot of time to do an enormous quantity with it, however the work has been in drips over the previous two years already with Anna. So yeah, excited for folks to see it.”

Hamilton won’t have relocated to Italy, nonetheless residing in Monaco, however he did talk about how a lot he enjoys travelling to Maranello – and never simply to work on ironing out the issues plaguing his begin at Ferrari.

“I find it irresistible. Making an attempt to remain off the pizzas and the pasta, which I am not doing very properly with if I am trustworthy,” he stated.

“I used to be there final week and had like three pizzas in two days. I’ve my hookup – he retains bringing me a pizza. I textual content him late after the day and I am like, “Hey, can I get a pizza?” He retains bringing me one.

“However yeah, I actually am having fun with it. Not residing in Italy at present, however spending extra time continues to be one thing I actually need to attempt to work out how you can do via the yr. My Italian is just not actually progressing, so I’ve in all probability obtained to throw myself extra into the thick of it.

“However the crew’s been properly. Plenty of modifications, an enormous quantity of labor has been occurring from my first days there to regulate sure issues, for instance within the sim, and everybody’s been actually responsive and massively supportive. So I’ve actually appreciated it.”