What if we told you Frederic Vasseur and John Elkann weren’t the masterminds that birthed Lewis Hamilton‘s Ferrari transfer? That’s right. Though they successfully separated the 7-time champion from 12-year-old ally Mercedes, it was Enzo Ferrari’s son, Piero Ferrari, who laid the foundation. It all began years ago when Hamilton was indulging in his love for fast cars.

The Briton’s road car collection is exemplary. From classic American muscle cars to the ever-superior McLaren P1, you name it, he probably has it. Hamilton has also satisfied every young gearhead’s dream. He has 3 Ferraris in his car collection – a Ferrari LaFerrari, a Ferrari 599 SA Aperta, and a LaFerrari Aperta. Interestingly, his signing with Ferrari has brought out how Piero Ferrari greeted and conversed with the 7-time champion every time he rocked up in Maranello to add a Ferrari to his collection. Who knew such meetings would culminate in Frederic Vasseur & Co. signing him and shooting the Ferrari share prices up by around $20 billion?

“The negotiations with Lewis Hamilton have been carried out in a particular way by Piero Ferrari, the man who always seems to be one step behind and less interested,” Motorsport’s Franco Nugnes revealed, as quoted by Rossomotori. “The vice president was the right man to welcome Lewis every time he showed up in Maranello to buy one of the reds, and we know he has several.”

Ferrari shook the F1 world in a way that no driver announcement has ever managed. However, the timing of their announcement was highly unusual, with an entire race calendar ahead.

How Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari announcement set off an “F1 Rubik’s Cube”

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s official statements in February overwhelmed fans and the sport’s stakeholders. Not only did the 7-time champion have an awkward conversation with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, but also risked having an entire year of the same. It also forced Carlos Sainz off the team, kicking off a slow-moving driver market for 2025.

“The announcement of Lewis was almost premature in some way,”  1996 F1 champion Damon Hill said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “From the moment that was announced, we’ve had a knock-down effect all the way through the grid. They’re actually now starting to fall into place, the final places. It’s an F1 Rubik’s Cube.”

Hamilton hasn’t even joined the Maranello outfit yet, but its effects are already being felt. An axed Carlos Sainz has held up the driver market, delaying other drivers’ future contracts as well. As for Hamilton, his hocking move has received mixed reviews. But one thing’s for sure – Tifosi has found a new hero to partner with their golden boy Charles Leclerc.