Lewis Hamilton will race for Ferrari as Michael Schumacher so famously did (Image: Getty Images)
has opened up about the childhood experience that spurred his ambition to race for , watching in his prime.
The British racing titan is set to join the iconic Italian team next season at 40, leaving behind a legacy of six championships in 11 years with and matching global fame with the great Schumacher himself, F1’s other seven-time champion.
Like many young drivers who took inspiration from Schumacher’s prowess, Hamilton proudly admits that it was the dominance of the German legend at that sparked his dream to one day man the red cockpit.
In a candid interview with , Hamilton expressed his anticipation: “It is so exciting because I remember as a kid watching Michael. Every driver watches that car and you’re like: ‘What would it be like to sit in the red cockpit?'”
Although their F1 careers briefly overlapped, it wasn’t until after Schumacher’s initial retirement at the end of 2006 and subsequent return that Hamilton truly began to carve out his path towards his dreams, already securing his first championship by then.
German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher. (Image: Getty Images)
In 2010, Schumacher responded to the call to exit retirement and race for the newly formed F1 team. He was the seasoned veteran tasked with guiding young compatriot , who would later become the F1 champion in 2016 before immediately retiring.
were not as competitive in those early days as they have been for the past decade. Schumacher didn’t win a single race across three seasons with the Silver Arrows, but he did return to the podium once by finishing third at the 2012 European Grand Prix, held in Valencia.
Lewis Hamilton will head to Ferrari next year. (Image: Getty Images)
During that time, Hamilton was also experiencing less success than he would have liked at . So when Schumacher announced his plan to retire from F1 for the second and final time at the end of 2012, the Brit made the daring decision to agree to replace him at .
It was seen as a massive risk at the time, but one which has paid off. are very competitive these days but spent a long time languishing in the midfield while Hamilton and his team dominated the sport between 2014 and 2021, winning eight constructors’ titles in a row and six more drivers’ crowns for their star racer.