Lewis Hamilton will reportedly become only the second Formula 1 star ever to move into Enzo Ferrari’s old house when he arrives in Italy.
Hamilton will emulate F1‘s only other seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher in being granted the highest Tifosi honour.
The 39-year-old stunned the world of motorsport in February by confirming he will leave Mercedes to join the Scuderia in 2025.
The Brit won six drivers’ titles en route to helping the Silver Arrows claim eight constructors’ championships in the most successful partnership that F1 has ever seen.
However, ahead of this season, Hamilton activated a release clause in his $55 million contract to take a pay cut and head to Ferrari.
The move will be only the second of his career – and first international – having won the world title with McLaren in 2008, before moving to Mercedes five years later.
Ferrari are now making every effort to ensure Hamilton’s transition to life in Italy is as seamless as possible over the winter months.
The Prancing Horse are said to be honouring the 105-time Grand Prix winner by putting him up in the house of the team’s founding father.
Sky Sport Italia commentator Carlo Vanzini, speaking on Roberto Chincero’s Twitch channel, revealed Hamilton’s unique privilege.
“Lewis will live in Enzo Ferrari’s house,” said Vanzini. “He’ll have it as a base of support when he goes to Fiorano.
“Since the times of Schumacher, no driver has had this privilege.
“I also think it was the right choice, because I believe for a character like Lewis, to move publicly is already difficult.”
Hamilton, who has confirmed he is learning Italian to better integrate himself with Ferrari, already has an incredible property portfolio.
Growing up in Stevenage, Hamilton still has roots in England having purchased an £18m mansion in Kensington in 2017.
He also has glamorous pads in New York, Geneva – and of course, Monaco, which has become the home for nearly all F1 drivers.
Hamilton can now add Enzo’s house by Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit to aid his transition into life with the Maranello outfit.
The notoriously misanthropic ‘il Commendatore’ was all-consumed by his love of cars rather than the drivers behind the wheel.
His Fiorano test track was built in 1972 on land he’d snapped up in the decade before next to the Ferrari factory in Maranello.
‘Il Drake’ resided in a converted farmhouse close enough that he could see his new cars wheeled directly from the workshop to the track for testing.
Enzo’s old office has been preserved to near enough how he left it prior to his death in August 1988.
It still contains the disused black and white television on which ‘l’Ingegnere’ watched Grands Prix after he stopped attending races.
To this day, buyers of LaFerrari and F80 – Ferrari’s new supercar – are not even allowed to enter.
The last of this type to do this was luxury jewellery owner and Ferrari Ambassador David Lee, who boasts a $50m ‘Red Devil’ Collection.
Enzo’s son, Piero, revealed last year that Schumacher used to sleep in the office during the German’s Ferrari heyday.
“For sure, really was THE champion Michael,” Pierro told former F1 world champion Damon Hill on Sky Sports F1.
“Really was very professional, was very brave, was very intelligent. My father for sure, [would have been] very happy to have a driver like him. You know Michael was sleeping here upstairs! I never saw a guy like him really. So concentrated in what he was doing.”
Hamilton following in Schumacher’s footsteps should stand him in great stead to try and end F1’s most successful team’s long wait for a title after serial winners have failed before him.
World champions Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso both failed to land a title with the Scuderia, albeit Hamilton primarily being responsible for that, with their last success in 2007 thanks to Kimi Raikkonen.