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🇫🇮 Finland /Sports

Lewis Hamilton speaks warmly of Michael Schumacher: ‘I tried to imagine what it would be like to be in his position’

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Ferrari is honoring Michael Schumacher during the Formula One weekend at Monza with a special livery and events celebrating his career.
  • Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is also a seven-time champion, recalled Schumacher as both a role model and a rival.
  • Hamilton said Schumacher helped inspire his love of racing and that wearing a shirt with seven stars created a strong connection between them.

Lewis Hamilton arrived at Monza wearing a shirt marked with seven stars, a tribute to Michael Schumacher’s seven Formula One world championships. Hamilton has seven titles of his own, and said the shirt felt as though it belonged to him too.

“It felt right to wear the seven-star shirt because I have seven stars too. It feels good. It feels like this shirt belongs to me as well,” Hamilton said on Thursday before the international media.

It felt right to wear the seven-star shirt because I have seven stars too. It feels good. It feels like this shirt belongs to me as well.

· Lewis HamiltonHamilton explained the shirt he wore in tribute to Schumacher at Monza.

Ferrari is honoring Schumacher throughout the Italian Grand Prix weekend. The team is running a specially colored car, with seven stars on its nose, and Monza is hosting several events celebrating the German driver’s career. Schumacher suffered serious injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and has not appeared publicly since, but his influence on Formula One and Ferrari remains visible.

I remember watching Michael in the red car. I remember playing F1 games as a child, and I was always Michael at Ferrari. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be in his position. It is incredible that I get to experience that now.

· Lewis HamiltonHamilton recalled Schumacher’s influence on his childhood love of Formula One.

Hamilton spoke nostalgically about watching Schumacher as a child in his red Ferrari. He remembered hearing the old Formula One theme from downstairs and running to the television when the race was about to begin. “I remember watching Michael in the red car. I remember playing F1 games as a child, and I was always Michael at Ferrari. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be in his position. It is incredible that I get to experience that now,” he said.

Hamilton also praised Schumacher’s leadership and the role he played in turning Ferrari’s fortunes around from 1996 onward, alongside Jean Todt and Ross Brawn. Hamilton rejected the idea that Schumacher’s example inspired him to restore Ferrari to championship-winning form, saying instead that he had worked behind the scenes last year to change and develop the car. “I am not copying Michael in any way. This is like a huge ship, and the driver’s job is to work with the others,” Hamilton said.

I am not copying Michael in any way. This is like a huge ship, and the driver’s job is to work with the others.

· Lewis HamiltonHamilton rejected the idea that he was following Schumacher’s example in trying to revive Ferrari’s championship fortunes.
About this summary

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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