More than 1,000 Ferrari employees received a typically English gift from Lewis Hamilton

The 2025 season of Formula 1 has only just closed, and already all eyes are on 2026. A new era is on the horizon, with completely revised engine and aerodynamic regulations, and in Maranello, winter is never entirely synonymous with rest. And yet, as Christmas approaches.., Lewis Hamilton was keen to mark a symbolic pause. Just a few days after the end of his first-ever world championship in red, the seven-time world champion surprised over a thousand Scuderia Ferrari employees with a very special Christmas present. A discreet gesture, without flashy communication.

A typically English gift

During his visit to the Maranello factory, Lewis Hamilton did not arrive empty-handed. He personally presented each member of the Scuderia Ferrari team with a box signed by Fortnum & Mason, an iconic London house and a true symbol of British tradition. Inside, a selection designed for breaks between long working days: Breakfast Blend tea, Lemon Curd cookies, Tea Cookies and a box of Neapolitan chocolates, both milk and dark. Nothing flashy, nothing luxurious in the ostentatious sense of the word. Rather, a simple, almost familiar assortment, evoking the warmth of a moment's respite. A choice that could speak to those who live the daily life of Formula 1 far from the spotlight, between late nights, incessant travel and seasons that follow one another without any real breathing space. Beyond the box, inside each gift is a small card with a signed photo and a handwritten message: "Happy Holidays, From Lewis".

A bitter first Christmas in red

The timing is not insignificant. Lewis Hamilton has just concluded a difficult 2025 season, falling far short of the expectations raised by his arrival at Ferrari. Heralded as Formula 1's "marriage of the century", the association between the most successful driver in history and the most legendary team in the paddock failed to produce the hoped-for results. Zero Grand Prix podiums, a single Sprint Race victory in China, and an SF-25 quickly judged insufficient to rival an untouchable McLaren. Very early in the season, in April, Ferrari made a strong strategic choice: to sacrifice development of the 2025 single-seater in order to concentrate resources and budget on the 2026 car, the first representative of the discipline's new technical era.

Rumours of tension and frustration never completely ceased, even if they were systematically denied or downplayed by both driver and team. Hamilton had to cope with a more complex adjustment than expected, sharing the difficulties with Charles Leclerc, who was also deprived of real opportunities for victory.

A paddock tradition

In the Formula 1 paddock, end-of-year gifts to teams are no exception. Many drivers perpetuate this tradition, which the sport itself regularly promotes. But Lewis Hamilton has always attached particular importance to the relationship with his staff, regarding it as an integral component of performance. Doing so on his first Christmas in red, after a complicated season, reinforces the message. The Ferrari of 2026 is already being built, both technically and in human terms. And in a Scuderia often described as an "emotional industry", this kind of gesture counts.