F1 fans read CRYPTIC secret message in Lewis Hamilton photo

Lewis Hamilton greeting the Tifosi at Ferrari's test circuit Fiorano in 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Fans read CRYPTIC secret message in Hamilton photo

Lewis Hamilton made his Ferrari debut this week

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 26 January 2025 16:00

Some Formula 1 fans online have turned into super-sleuths, reading a secret hidden message into one of Lewis Hamilton's early pictures at Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion took to the track in a Ferrari F1 car for the first time this week, driving the team's 2023 car around their home test track at Maranello.

According to Zoomph, social media from F1, Hamilton and Ferrari for the champion’s first day at Maranello generated 370M impressions, 19.1M engagements and $10.4M social value.

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Furthermore, Hamilton’s first official photograph outside of the Maranello factory, dressed in a Ferragamo three piece suit, usurped Charles Leclerc’s 2024 Monza selfie to become Ferrari’s most liked post on Instagram, with over 5.5 million likes.

Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari debut provided fans with a glimpse of the champion in red

Lewis Hamilton to the track with Ferrari

F1 fans spot hidden message in Hamilton Maranello photo

As Hamilton stood alongside the F40, as the doors and windows of Ferrari’s factory provided a backdrop for the champion, with some fans reading a little further into the architecture.

Some F1 fans pointed out that the seven windows and the door represented Hamilton’s world titles (of which he has achieved seven), with the door symbolising the path to his eighth world title with Ferrari.

If Hamilton were to achieve this, he would go one better than Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher, and become the first F1 driver in history to claim eight world titles.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Formula 1 Charles Leclerc Monza Maranello