These are not things that surprise; they are things that make an impact. That makes all the difference in the world, and there would be no need to explain it. However, what is happening at Ferrari deserves particular attention because the communication surrounding Lewis Hamilton is becoming increasingly generic as the World Championship approaches.
For this reason, it is best to go in the opposite direction—returning to all the details that show how Lewis, from his very first visit to Maranello, has managed to win over the hearts of Ferrari fans, while also fueling their ambitions, as was expected.
Every move of his has been scrutinized, starting with the coat that the British press called “godfather-like,” and some Italian haters even went so far as to follow the tabloids’ lead. Then came the outburst from the usual unlucky critics, insulting him for a minor off-track excursion in the SF-23 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, as if they had never seen a driver make a mistake while getting accustomed to a car he had never driven before. Not satisfied with that, while Ferrari’s merchandise sales have skyrocketed thanks to the British driver —more like a rocket than an airplane, based on hard data—some started claiming that Lewis Hamilton will do whatever he pleases at Maranello, that he will be some kind of “tourist” in the Ferrari cockpit, without any real sense of belonging or interest in Ferrari from the inside.
In response, the seven-time World Champion stood before Ferrari employees, gathered for the meeting ahead of the car’s unveiling on February 18-19, and surprised everyone—including Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc—by speaking in unexpectedly good Italian.
So, while we wait for the car and the season to start, has a certain crowd realized that staying silent, every now and then, helps avoid making a fool of oneself?
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