Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was the first time he felt at one with his Ferrari Formula 1 car since his China sprint win.

 

Hamilton’s shock pole-to-flag victory in Shanghai proved to be an outlier in what has otherwise been a difficult campaign that has not brought the results he was hoping to achieve on his fresh start in a new environment.

 

Imola also didn’t appear likely to turn around his fortunes after he qualified 12th, one spot behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, but on Sunday afternoon the Briton displayed strong race pace and used strategy and a touch of fortune from the safety car timings to vault up the order to fourth.

 

Hamilton felt it was the first time since his momentous China win that he felt at one with the Ferrari car, which has received subtle upgrades this weekend.

 

“China was pretty great, but I’ve always loved when you’re fighting from further back and coming through,” Hamilton said. “That’s how I started off as a kid. That’s always a better feeling than starting and finishing first. But definitely an absolutely mega race and so many positives to take away.

 

 

“The strategy was really fantastic today; they made great calls. In China I felt really aligned with the car and then the only other time is today. I felt that real synergy, and I think the set-up was great. We made a bit of an improvement in our performance for the race.”

 

One negative remains Ferrari’s puzzling qualifying pace, with both Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc failing to make the cut in Q2 at the expense of cars from Williams, Alpine, Aston Martin and Racing Bulls.

 

“We’ve just got to unlock the potential in qualifying,” he acknowledged. “If we had qualified [higher up] we would have been fighting for a podium, which is something we didn’t think would be possible.”

 

Hamilton’s morale-boosting race came at the perfect time as he made his home debut as a Ferrari driver in front of a record number of spectators, with 242,000 attending over all days combined.

 

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

 

“It’s been incredible, what an amazing experience,” the 40-year-old gushed.

 

“Already on the driver’s parade lap all the drivers were doing their normal talking, but I really wanted to see the memorial for Ayrton [Senna]. I even took a picture of it.

 

“I was taking pictures of the crowd just to see red everywhere. It was just really very reminiscent of when I was growing up watching it on my couch, having a bacon sandwich watching Michael Schumacher racing here with Ferrari and seeing the connection.

 

“It was quite an incredible experience to think that I’m now here in one of the two Ferraris. And having that connection with such a larg

 

 

 

Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony is set to take on a role within the FIA – as the part of a new young driver development programme; watch practice for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Friday at 12.30pm and 4pm, live on Sky Sports F1

 

 

Lewis Hamilton's dad Anthony explains what words of encouragement he shared with Isack Hadjar after the rookie's formation lap crash at the start of the Australian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony explains the words of encouragement he shared with Isack Hadjar, after the rookie’s formation lap crash at the start of the Australian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony Hamilton is set to take on a role within the FIA as part of a new young driver development programme.

 

Hamilton, who has been working in an advisory capacity over the last 18 months for the FIA, is understood to be “very motivated” to take on the new role.

 

The 65-year-old is expected to be confirmed in his new role in June when the FIA launches its Young Driver Development Pathway.

 

Lewis Hamilton has appeared not to be on best terms with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has been impressed with Anthony’s advisory work.

 

Lewis claimed Ben Sulayem used words with a “racial element” when urging F1 drivers not to swear on the radio as he compared them to rappers.

 

As recently as on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver criticised the saga around swearing after the FIA reduced the fines for using offensive language.

 

hadjar crash australian gp

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar was left in tears after crashing during the formation lap before the race started at the Australian Grand Prix but was consoled by Anthony Hamilton

“It is ridiculous. I don’t really know. Nothing I say is going to make any difference to it,” said Hamilton.

 

“It seems a bit of a mess there at the moment. There are lots of changes that are needed, for sure. But it doesn’t really affect me. I don’t see what’s happened since then.”

 

Anthony Hamilton has been advising the FIA since the end of 2023

Image: Anthony Hamilton has been advising the FIA since the end of 2023

Sky Sports F1’s Emilia Romagna GP Schedule

Friday May 16

8.50am: F3 Practice

10am: F2 Practice

12pm: Emilia Romagna GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)

2pm: F3 Qualifying

2.55pm: F2 Qualifying

3:40pm: Emilia Romagna GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)

5.15pm: The F1 Show

 

Saturday May 17

9am: F3 Sprint

11:15am: Emilia Romagna GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)

1.10pm: F2 Sprint

2.10pm: Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying build-up

3pm: EMILIA ROMAGNA GP QUALIFYING*

5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

 

Sunday May 18

7.25am: F3 Feature Race

8.55am: F2 Feature Race

12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Emilia Romagna GP build-up

2pm: The EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX

4pm: Chequered Flag: Emilia Romagna GP reaction

5pm: Ted’s Notebook

 

*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event

 

F1’s European season begins with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime

 

Lewis Hamilton smiles as he runs his hand through his hair

Lewis Hamilton is a Scuderia Ferrari driver

 

Lewis Hamilton’s influence on the world of Formula 1 is unmatched, and a new lucrative sponsorship deal proves it.

 

Perplexity, an AI-powered answer engine, pushed aside its plans to sponsor a full Formula 1 team, instead settling on an individual partnership with Lewis Hamilton.

 

Lewis Hamilton and Perplexity ink major deal

Call it the “Lewis Hamilton effect.” Since he first started racing in Formula 1, the Briton’s magnetic personality has enticed fans and brands to support his career in ways that may have otherwise been unthinkable.

 

Seven World Championships later, and Hamilton has continued to ascend, marking him out as a star not just in the motorsport scene, but in pop culture as a whole.

 

Whether he’s offering his expertise as producer of Brad Pitt’s new F1 film, serving as a co-chair of the beloved Met Gala, or representing a world-class brand in a new marketing campaign, ‘Lewis Hamilton’ has become a name familiar to more than just the motorsport subset.

 

And a new individual partnership with Perplexity proves it.

 

Perplexity is a generative AI-powered search engine that synthesizes information in the aim of providing accurate responses to user-asked questions. Valued at around $9 billion, the company has been looking for new ways to promote itself — and the American brand turned to Formula 1.

 

In a report from SportBusiness, it has been revealed that Perplexity “went through an evaluation process that included conversations with several F1 teams,” including Red Bull Racing, Aston Martin, and Williams.

 

Lewis Hamilton, however, proved to be a better fit for Perplexity’s aims.

 

“Whilst we looked at a variety of options across the grid, it was very clear that Lewis Hamilton was the best partner for us,” Perplexity vice president of business Ryan Foutty told SportBusiness.

 

“We see a great opportunity to grow awareness of Perplexity and its capabilities through Lewis’s reach. The helmet branding exposure is significant and across his channels, he has a vast amount of fans who are really engaged and love following him.”

 

Per Foutty, Perplexity has global aims. An American company, it’s looking to transcend regional boundaries to become a trusted AI search engine all around the world — and with F1 being a global sport “synonymous with speed and the pursuit of excellence,” Foutty felt it would be a great fit.

 

“Perplexity is all about giving you fast, accurate answers to your questions and building on that it’s about curiosity – not just answering questions but continuing the curiosity and asking better questions,” he explained.

 

“F1 is incredibly cerebral, it’s all about technical strategy and its fans very much mirror that, so there’s a great opportunity to introduce Perplexity to F1 fans around the world.”

 

While Foutty did not elaborate on the specific aims that Perplexity was looking for in a partner that was not met by F1 teams, he did note that the goal is to “transcend” — and that’s something Hamilton does well.

 

“With all his success he also stands for greatness and excellence and those are brand values that we want people to associate with Perplexity – the faster you learn, the better equipped you are to pursue excellence in whichever domain you’re in for us,” Foutty said.

 

Per SportBusiness, this partnership will see a Perplexity logo on Hamilton’s helmet, as well as “collaborative content” on social media.

 

 

Lewis Hamilton has been tipped to snap out of his slow start at Ferrari by former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

 

Hamilton’s time at Ferrari has got off to a slow start, with 41 points from six races, although this does not count the eight he lost for being disqualified in China for excessive plank wear.

 

Hamilton also trails team-mate Charles Leclerc 6-2 across every qualifying session thus far, including sprints, and has an average deficit of 0.216s to the Monegasque, although he did win the Shanghai Sprint – Ferrari’s only victory so far.

 

After a poor weekend in Saudi Arabia, Hamilton declared that he expected the “pain” to last the full season as he battles to adjust to the Ferrari systems, including engine braking, something he seldom used in 12 seasons at Mercedes.

 

The seven-time champion felt better in the car in Miami, but was engulfed in a team orders flare-up with Leclerc as they finished seventh and eighth, but former Force India, Racing Point, Aston Martin, and Alpine boss Szafnauer believes Hamilton will be able to bounce back into form.

 

“Well, I mean, it is a start,” Szafnauer explained on the RacingNews365 podcast, with the full episode to be released later today (May 12th).

 

“He was at Mercedes for a long time, and it is a learning curve. I think he is progressing well. He has a pole and a win, albeit in a sprint race, and Charles has been there forever, and he is not slow, right?

 

“He’s a very competent driver, and surprised isn’t the right word, but I’m very happy for Lewis that he is still within striking distance of the points of Charles.

 

“Charles isn’t that far ahead of Lewis, and Lewis is learning, so by the end [of the season], if you had to ask me who is going to be ahead of whom, I don’t know.

 

“The thing with Lewis is he never gives up, he is a supreme competitor and works hard, and I think he was stuck behind Esteban Ocon [during the Miami Grand Prix] for a long time, but he didn’t get frustrated, didn’t make a mistake and ended up passing him.

 

“[Ferrari] then let him pass Charles, but he couldn’t catch Kimi [Antonelli] and then they swapped them again, and this was absolutely the right thing to do.

 

“It is exactly what I would have done and exactly the rules we had whenever I was running a team, so Lewis will get stronger as the year goes on.”

 

The full interview with Otmar Szafnauer will be released on Monday, May 12 on YouTube and all of your podcast players!

 

Join RacingNews365’s Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look back on the biggest talking points from the Miami Grand Prix. Ferrari’s radio tension, Oscar Piastri taking charge and Max Verstappen needing to change his McLaren approach are major discussions.

 

 

 

 

 

Lewis Hamilton’s net worth in 2025: From the racetrack to real estate

 

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, has not only dominated the track but also built a substantial empire off it. His move to Ferrari in 2025 includes a $60 million salary and lucrative endorsements. Hamilton’s investments in real estate, cars, and ventures like Neat Burger contribute to his estimated net worth of between $285 million and $480 million.

 

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, isn’t just a legend on the track—he’s also built an empire off it.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 marked a significant chapter in his career.

 

Reports suggest he’s earning an annual salary of $60 million, making him one of the highest-paid drivers in the sport . Beyond his base salary, Hamilton’s endorsements with brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Puma, Sony, and IWC Schaffhausen contribute substantially to his income .

Hamilton’s wealth isn’t just tied up in cars and contracts; he’s also a real estate connoisseur. His property holdings include:

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Is Lewis Hamilton a role model for aspiring athletes?

 

Monaco: A $24.5 million mansion in the exclusive Fontvieille district

London: A $38 million residence in Kensington

New York: A $66 million penthouse in Manhattan

Milan: A luxury home in the Porta Nuova district, acquired after his move to Ferrari .

Colorado: A ranch in Aspen, which he considers his true home .

Hamilton’s passion for speed extends beyond Formula 1. His car collection is valued at approximately $16.5 million and includes LaFerrari Aperta, two Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercars, and Pagani Zonda 760 LH. He previously owned a $29 million Bombardier Challenger 605 private jet, which he sold to reduce his carbon footprint . Additionally, he owns a $4 million Sunseeker 90 yacht, often moored in Monaco.

Hamilton’s entrepreneurial spirit has led him to invest in various ventures like Neat Burger, Almave and Denver Broncos.

As of 2025, his net worth is estimated to be between $285 million and $480 million. At 40, Hamilton continues to break records and redefine success in Formula 1. His move to Ferrari not only signifies a new chapter in his racing career but also underscores his enduring marketability and influence in the sport. With a net worth approaching half a billion dollars, Hamilton’s legacy extends far beyond the track, solidifying his status as a global icon.

 

Ferrari team-mates Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton walk through the paddock at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix

Ferrari team-mates Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

 

Already not where they wanted to be running at the Miami Grand Prix, Ferrari team orders impacting Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc did little to improve the mood.

 

However, Leclerc has made it clear that he has “no bad feelings” towards Hamilton after the Miami Grand Prix, the Ferrari drivers swapped around twice without success on the way to a P7 finish for Leclerc and Hamilton P8.

 

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc cool, but how do Ferrari bounce back?

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock

 

Ferrari split strategies for the Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton starting on the hard tyre, and Leclerc on mediums.

 

But after the sole round of pit stops were complete, Hamilton came up behind Leclerc on theoretically the faster tyre, but was left frustrated when Ferrari told him to hold position.

 

Hamilton continued to argue his case and Ferrari did a U-turn, ordering Leclerc to yield, but with Hamilton unable to ditch his team-mate, then Leclerc felt like he was being held up, and asked to be let back through by Hamilton, which ultimately happened.

 

Leclerc crossed the line 1.5 seconds behind the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli in P7, as Hamilton narrowly held on to P8 under late pressure from Carlos Sainz in the Williams, which included being speared by Sainz at Turn 17 on the last lap.

 

But, while Leclerc is frustrated over a lack of pace in the Ferrari – McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes having been quicker in Miami – he made it clear than none of that frustration was directed towards Hamilton.

 

Asked by the media, including PlanetF1.com, whether he considered letting Hamilton through before Ferrari asked, Leclerc replied: “I mean, not really, because I knew Lewis was on a medium, so if anything, he would struggle a bit more to go to the end than me, so we had to take care of tyres.

 

“But I understand as well that he wanted to try and do something different. So I appreciate that. I mean, I would have done the same thing if I was him, and trying to be a bit more aggressive with the medium tyres.

 

“There’s no bad feelings with Lewis. Not at all. I understand that he wants to try and optimise as much as I want to try and optimise the car potential. The car potential is just this, which is frustrating.”

 

Asked if he had the chance to speak with Hamilton after the race, Leclerc confirmed: “No, no.

 

“We saw each other quickly, but he went to get changed, I think, and I came here, so we don’t have enough time to really speak.”

 

The frustration of the Ferrari drivers played out over team radio at times during the race, that especially true for Hamilton.

 

And Leclerc agreed with the suggestion that this is a consequence from the lack of performance.

 

He added: “There’s the frustration already that I was fighting for P8 at the time, and I was not making any gains, so there’s a frustration of that, and then all the rest, and it all adds up.

 

“So, the radio doesn’t always… In this case, probably… But the radio is not always the real picture.”

 

Ferrari sit P4 in the Constructors’ Championship standings, already 152 points behind leaders McLaren.

 

 

 

Lewis Hamilton shares heartwarming update over future F1 career path

 

Lewis Hamilton has revealed an exciting update on a Formula 1 project, as the champion focuses on other interests during the break between races.

 

Besides being a seven-time F1 champion, Hamilton has never been afraid to speak up when it comes to issues outside of the sport, and established his charitable foundation Mission 44 in 2021 to tackle the lack of representation in motorsport.

 

The charity is aimed at helping young people from underrepresented backgrounds to excel in STEM subjects in school and one day pursue a career in motorsport, with the foundation launching the Motorsport Scholarship programme which has inspired one student to try and reach F1.

 

In a LinkedIn post, Motorsport Engineering Student Amjad Saeed revealed just how influential the scholarship has been and said: “After two years as part of the Mission 44 and Royal Academy of Engineering Motorsport Scholarship, I have seen that it is absolutely possible for someone like me to join the motorsport community at a high level.”

 

Mission 44 inspires next generation of F1 talent

Hamilton also shared a video where Saeed explained the impact of the scholarship, which allowed him to visit the Mercedes F1 garage where he spoke to team personnel and the champion himself.

 

“The scholarship has made me more focused and more driven to get into motorsport specifically because of the confidence it’s given me and the skillset it’s given me both academic and personal,” he continued.

 

“If I did not have the scholarship I would not be where I am at all. The financial support from the scholarship allowed me to actually attend and give it the time it requires.

 

“Being put into that sector, being put around senior members of Formula 1 and seeing the work that’s been done, being able to speak to someone of that expertise and ask the real nitty gritty questions about specific things is really useful.”

 

Above the video, Hamilton provided his own thoughts on the scholarship’s impact and wrote: “It’s amazing to hear Amjad reflect on his time as part of the Mission 44 Motorsport Scholarship and how much it’s helped him grow over the past two years.

 

“We launched the Motorsport Scholarship programme, alongside the Royal Academy of Engineering, to provide talented students like Amjad with the access and opportunity to pursue future careers in F1 – so it’s great to see the impact the programme is already having.”

 

 

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton pictured in the press conference during pre-season testing in Bahrain

 

Lewis Hamilton has been warned 2026 will be his final chance to win an eighth Drivers’ Championship after a frustrating start to life at Ferrari.

 

The 40-year-old Briton moved to Maranello with the aim of securing his record-breaking eighth title but after a slow start, he has now been told that 2026 is now or never.

 

Lewis Hamilton given now or never F1 2026 title warning

Should he fail to win it this season, Hamilton will have gone five years without a Drivers’ title, the joint-longest drought of his career, and Johnny Herbert has warned if he does not do it in 2026 then he never will.

 

“I think 2026 is Lewis Hamilton‘s final chance at getting the eighth championship,” Herbert told AceOdds. “He’s 40 years old now, is he in his prime? No. Has that prime past? Yes. Is he still really good? Yes.

 

“But, Charles Leclerc is better than Hamilton at the moment, so even if the Ferrari improves, he needs to beat his teammate.”

 

Herbert said that Hamilton needed the change of scenery that came with the move to Ferrari, suggesting that it looked like he was losing motivation at Mercedes.

 

“Last season, the Mercedes was so inconsistent, sometimes it could win races, then struggle to get anywhere near the podium. Lewis Hamilton, I felt, was also losing motivation at the team and was frustrated.

 

“The one who always found motivation was Ayrton Senna. He would come back later than most for testing and then found himself winning championships. Hamilton needed that refresh at Ferrari.

 

“After a difficult race in Australia, Hamilton’s season at Ferrari looked really impressive and promising in China with the Sprint win, but since then, it’s not really clicked. Charles Leclerc is having a better, consistent season with some strong performances, but at the moment, the Ferrari is just about getting podiums. It’s not in a bad shape.

 

“They’re the fourth or third-best team, they need to make a jump to the next level to compete with the McLaren and Red Bull. Lewis will need to be at his best to beat Charles this season, the pressure is on.

 

“There is an element of settling in for Hamilton, but I thought he would have gotten past that by now and shown he’s quicker than Charles Leclerc. It just hasn’t happened yet. Leclerc came into Ferrari and took the team away from Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton hasn’t quite done that yet, and Leclerc is still controlling the situation with his consistency and speed. Hamilton is consistently eighth or ninth at the moment.

 

“I think if Hamilton stayed at Mercedes, George Russell would be making it hard for Lewis as Leclerc is right now. The move to Ferrari was the correct decision for a new start, but will we see the Lewis of old? That’s in his hands.”