Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton made a striking appearance at the Italian Grand Prix, posing with his newly acquired £3 million Ferrari F40. The 41-year-old driver arrived at the Monza Circuit track in an outfit featuring an oversized coat and a distinctive hat, drawing attention ahead of the race.
Hamilton shared his excitement about the acquisition on Instagram earlier in the week, describing the F40 as the "car of my dreams." He detailed how the iconic red Ferrari has been a lifelong aspiration, noting its significance by having it present on his first day after joining Scuderia Ferrari last year.
"These cars are works of art and incredibly rare," Hamilton stated in his post. He recounted discovering the F40 covered in dust in a garage, where it had reportedly been for over thirty years. Following his purchase, the car was taken to Maranello, where Ferrari engineers and mechanics worked for weeks to restore it.
The Ferrari F40 typically commands a price between £2.5 million and £4 million, depending on its condition and mileage. Hamilton's newly acquired F40 bears the number plate "44," a number with deep personal significance. It is his permanent racing number, tracing back to his childhood go-karting days.
Hamilton has previously explained that "F44" was visible on a number plate when his father acquired his first go-kart. This number became his racing digits for many years. Upon being allowed to select a permanent number in Formula 1, he chose to revert to "44" as a connection to his origins and a symbol of loyalty to his family and fans.
The Italian Grand Prix appearance follows recent public attention on Hamilton's relationship with Kim Kardashian. Earlier in the week, Kardashian referred to them as "couple goals" on her Instagram Story, sharing a screenshot of their virtual avatars from the video game Fortnite, where both have in-game skins.