After speaking Italian in a speech to his Ferrari colleagues, Lewis Hamilton has done something which Michael Schumacher allegedly avoided.

That claim comes from respected F1 correspondent José M. Zapico, who stated that a reluctance from Schumacher to speak Italian meant that he “was never liked” in Ferrari’s home nation.

Lewis Hamilton speech sparks Schumacher ‘never liked in Italy’ claim

Hamilton is taking his first steps into Ferrari life after making the blockbuster move from Mercedes, the winner of a record 105 grands prix and record-equalling seven World Championships looking to move clear of Schumacher with a record eighth crown, at the team where Schumacher became an F1 icon.

And Hamilton showed off his efforts to embrace the Ferrari and Italian culture by delivering a speech in the language to team personnel at their Maranello base, flanked by new team-mate Charles Leclerc and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.

Translated to English, Hamilton delivered the following message to his Ferrari colleagues: “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.”

According to Zapico, Hamilton has embraced a challenge which Schumacher was reluctant to at Ferrari, to the detriment of his popularity at the time.

Schumacher won his first two World titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before joining Ferrari from the following season. After luring Benetton designer Rory Byrne and technical director Ross Brawn to Ferrari, the team went on a run of six straight Constructors’ title wins between 1999-2004, Schumacher winning five consecutive Drivers’ Championships in that time.

“Schumacher was never liked in Italy,” Zapico wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“He was more appreciated after his departure from Ferrari, he was called ‘ll tedesco’ (‘The German’) and ‘Sochmacher’, which is a very ugly thing to say. He was criticised for never speaking a word of Italian.

“Lewis, he has taken the trouble to at least read it on his iPhone.”

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However, according to veteran Italian F1 reporter Leo Turrini, while backing up that claim of reluctance from Schumacher to speak in Italian, it was a skill which he added to his repertoire, and his surprise use of it formed Turrini’s most treasured memory of the F1 icon.

Recalling a story from 2004 in his Quotidiano.net blog, Turrini wrote: “Spring 2004. Historically, the most beautiful season for Ferrari in F1. The municipality of Fiorano invited me to conduct a public ceremony: Jean Todt, Rubens Barrichello, and Schumi were being granted honorary citizenship.

“There was a frenzy of people. Children, grandmothers, workers. Everyone.

“Before going on stage, the French Penguin, with his customary ferocity, took me aside. ‘Turrini, you know that Schumi doesn’t like speaking Italian in public, so don’t bother him and interview him in English, thank you, and don’t make me angry, as is your habit.’ Very nice, as usual.

“So, we find ourselves on stage, and obeying Alvaro Vitali’s look-alike, I addressed Michael in the language of Churchill. The first very ordinary question: ‘After so many years spent here, what do you like about this land, aside from Ferrari?’ And I don’t know what happened. I have never understood it, seriously. In front of all those people, Michael Schumacher replied in Italian.

“He talked about cuisine, soccer, and road cars. In Dante’s language. The theatre erupted. It is the most beautiful memory I have of him.”

Schumacher retired from F1 for the first time after the 2006 season, but would return in 2010 for a three-season stint with Mercedes before his second and final retirement.

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