Lewis Hamilton gets new nickname in untelevised Vasseur team radio

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur erupted into laughter after it emerged that he referred to Lewis Hamilton as ‘Luigi’ over team radio at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton secured his best result as a Ferrari driver in Montreal last weekend, finishing second to the race-winning Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli.

Lewis Hamilton christened ‘Luigi’ by Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur

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The result marked Hamilton’s second podium finish of the F1 2026 season having finished third at the second round in China in March.

It saw him draw level with teammate Charles Leclerc, whose two podium finishes of this campaign were achieved in Australia and Japan.

Vasseur raised eyebrows after the Ferrari boss was heard calling Hamilton ‘Luigi’ – the Italian equivalent of ‘Lewis’ – in a team radio message after the chequered flag in Canada.

Vasseur told Hamilton: “Good job, Luigi.”

In a Sky F1 clip circulating on social media, which cannot be reproduced here due to broadcast rights restrictions, the Ferrari team principal burst into laughter when asked about the message after the race in Canada.

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Sky F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz is seen asking Vasseur: “What did you call Lewis on the radio at the end? Old G?”

Vasseur replies: “Luigi!”

The Frenchman then erupts into uncontrollable laughter lasting more than 10 seconds.

Asked after the race where his new nickname came from, Hamilton told television crews: “I don’t know. In Italy, they used to always call me ‘Luigi’ when I was a kid.”

Hamilton, who turned 41 in January, dropped the biggest hint yet in Canada that he will remain with Ferrari beyond the F1 2026 season.

Appearing in Thursday’s FIA press conference at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the former Mercedes driver said he plans to remain in F1 “for some time” and told his critics to “get used to it.”

Hamilton said: “There’s a lot of people that are trying to retire me. That’s not even on my thoughts.

“I’m already thinking of what will be next and planning for the next five years, but I still plan to be here for some time.

“I’m still [under] contract, so everything’s 100 per cent clear to me.

“I still love what I do with all my heart and I’m going to be here for quite some time, so get used to it.”

Hamilton, who remains without a race victory since the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, sits three points adrift of Leclerc ahead of next weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari is widely regarded as a contender for victory on the streets of Monte Carlo due to the characteristics of the SF-26 car, which has struggled in terms of straight-line speed so far this season.

Hamilton is a three-time winner of the Monaco Grand Prix having triumphed in 2008, 2016 and 2019.

Leclerc, meanwhile, took a dominant victory at his home race in 2024.

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