F1 legend Lewis Hamilton just gave his brother 'the opportunity of a lifetime', a seat at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton in yellow helmet and red Ferrari care suit with a hand on the shoulder of brother Nicolas who is smiling in Ferrari garage — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lewis Hamilton just gave his brother 'the opportunity of a lifetime'

Lewis and Nicolas Hamilton share a deep passion for motorsport

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 1 July 2026 17:30 Updated: 18:32

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Lewis Hamilton shocked the paddock when he announced his F1 switch to Ferrari in 2024, but his move to join the Scuderia has made his childhood dreams come true, and now his brother's as well.

Hamilton suffered a rough start to life in red after failing to click with the team's 2025 challenger, but things are looking up for the Brit this season after he finally picked up his first grand prix victory with the Italian squad at the Barcelona GP.

Fresh off the back of the glorious weekend in Spain, the seven-time champion was spotted with his team at Fiorano, using Ferrari's private test track to drive a bizarre three-seater car.

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But all has become clear now as his brother Nicolas Hamilton has shared on Instagram that Lewis handed him 'the opportunity of a lifetime', a seat in the back of that very same three-seater Ferrari.

Nicolas is also a professional driver and an inspiration in the motorsport community. As a child, Nicolas was diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy and had to rely on a wheelchair, but he has now made history as the first disabled driver to compete in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), where he recently won the Jack Sears Trophy.

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Lewis Hamilton treats brother Nicolas to 'surreal' Ferrari drive

In a post on Instagram which featured heartwarming images of the brothers posing both in and outside of the three-seater Ferrari, Nicolas shared just how much the opportunity meant to him.

The two couldn't look happier as they prepared to share the unique experience together, and a video on Nicolas' story later put into perspective just how loud the roar of the car's V10 engine was around the Italian track.

After being driven round the circuit by his legendary brother, Nicolas wrote in the Instagram caption: "Lewis called and offered me the opportunity of a lifetime. To be a passenger in a three-seater Ferrari Formula One car, with him driving!

"I flew out to Fiorano and was the first in the car. I could not believe it! The craziest moment was that I have been standing behind Lewis’ F1 car in the garage for years, but this time, I found myself lowering myself into the car, just behind his right shoulder. It was a very surreal moment.

"The car was from 2005 with a V10 engine. As the run started, I was just blown away by the sound and the speed, but I quickly found myself going into ‘proud brother mode’, where I just watched Lewis drive.

"After being a part of his career for 34 years, being at every circuit with him as a kid, through karting, all the way to Formula One, I finally got to experience what all the hard work was for and what it felt like to be him. Even though he is my brother, I am also a fan, his No. 1 fan and in awe of his talent."

"I got to experience being driven in a Ferrari Formula One car at the Ferrari F1 test track by the best driver of this generation. What an honour and a privilege. A day and a moment that I will never forget."

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A post shared by Nicolas Hamilton (@nicolashamilton)

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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