Sebastian Vettel Reveals Major Advice Given to Lewis Hamilton Ahead of Ferrari Switch

Lewis Hamilton suffered from the worst career in his F1 career during his debut season with Ferrari. The Briton couldn’t become a common visitor to the podium, let alone to the winning step. Despite the massive failure behind his move to Maranello, Sebastian Vettel, who suffered from a similar fate, had given some advice to the seven-time champion. Now, the four-time champion reveals what he advised the 40-year-old following his move to the Italian squad.

Ferrari is famously known to be a true Italian brand, with a majority of the crew residing in the same nation. As such, Lewis Hamilton certainly had to learn the language well to accustom with the team. Hamilton had even revealed that he was taking Italian classes, which he fell back on at times. He even stunned the Tifosi by speaking Italian on some occasions over the 2025 season.

Sebastian Vettel was one such driver who moved to Ferrari for the glory, but was quickly humbled when he had to learn Italian and other aspects that were required to be a driver at Maranello. Vettel recalled that he talked to Lewis Hamilton ahead of his infamous move. The German advised the seven-time champion to learn the local language, and learn it very well.

Further, Sebastian Vettel insisted that learning a language required intense practice and getting used to it. Per Vettel, the best way to learn Italian was to speak to the local people and live in the area. Lewis Hamilton had to expose himself to the Italian culture, as the four-time champion believed that all other things would have fallen into place.

I told Lewis before when he made the move – I said: ‘The only advice I can give you, the best advice I can give you, is learn the language. Learn it really, really well.’ The way to learn a language, you have to expose yourself, so you start to speak to the people, you are in the country where they speak the language, so you’re exposing yourself to the culture, so the rest will then fall into place.

Sebastian Vettel said on Beyond the Grid podcast.

Sebastian Vettel ponders Lewis Hamilton ‘adapting’ at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton might not have adapted very well at the Italian Squad. It is evident from his multiple outbursts on team radio, especially with his race engineer Ricciardo Adami. Hamilton’s problem reached such an extent that Ferrari is now considering making changes to his crew from 2026. As such, Sebastian Vettel ponders over the reasons behind Lewis Hamilton not being able to acclimate easily at Maranello.

Sebastian Vettel was a German and had to learn Italian to acclimate better at Ferrari. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is a true Brit, which might have caused him further difficulties to learn the way of the Italians. Vettel reckoned that Hamilton might not have been used to the culture because of the cultural difference between his and the team’s nation. The four-time champion noted that he wasn’t even aware of how it would have been to learn new things after being a native Englishman.

I don’t want to say that Lewis didn’t adapt or British drivers do not have to adapt – of course you have to adapt and of course you’re traveling the world and of course you’re seeing things and learning – but I don’t know how it is or how it would have been had my mother tongue been English, and I’m not comfortable in a foreign language, and then moving somewhere else.

Sebastian Vettel noted.

Despite the culture shock for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, he is certainly the fans’ favorite. The Briton needs to work hard on his Qualifying pace as he can definitely move up places on race day. The 2026 introduces new regulations, and they will give Hamilton a fresh start. The ground-effect era was extremely difficult for the seven-time champion anyway.

Continue Reading: George Russell Named the Closest Challenger to Max Verstappen in 2026 Title Odds

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