Lewis Hamilton has joked that he might not be able to fit into the Ferrari cockpit because he has been eating too much pizza.
The veteran Brit appears to have embraced Italian culture since moving over from Mercedes ahead of the new season. He has started to learn the native language and lives in the country after being gifted a house by Ferrari.
Hamilton has also been indulging in Italian food, with pizza being his dish of choice. Speaking ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain, he joked that he had eaten so much that he would struggle to squeeze into his race seat.
“Oh God, I’ve eaten so many pizzas in the last few weeks,” he said. “But funnily enough, I’ve lost weight. Last week alone I had three pizzas. I love Italian food. Penne a la Arrabiata is still my absolute favourite dish.”
Hamilton has had a soft spot for Italian food since his days in karting, when he spent time in the country with his future Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.
“I still remember going into town with Nico every evening to buy pizza and ice cream,” he recalled. “We ate so much pizza.
“My roots in motorsport lie in Italy. I drove there when I was 13. I remember that Luca del Fante, my first mechanic, and his mother always made me an incredible lasagna. I have never forgotten that lasagna to this day.”
Hamilton admitted that while he has been enjoying his food since returning to Italy, he is being careful with his diet to avoid putting on extra pounds.
“I have to watch my diet, but that will be difficult,” he added. “I have to be careful. I can’t eat pizza all year round, otherwise I won’t fit in the car anymore.”
It remains to be seen how Hamilton will fare in his debut year with Ferrari, who will be hoping to compete with the likes of McLaren and Red Bull for the end-of-season honours.
Given that excess weight can make a huge difference, with teams constantly looking to shave off milliseconds of lap time, it will be important for Hamilton to stay disciplined when it comes to his food intake.
He has been following a vegan diet for several years, which he believes has been responsible for improving his fortunes both on and off the track.
Speaking to Men’s Health back in 2021, he explained: “It’s changed my life. I have more energy, I’m so much more productive. I wake up feeling way better, clearer in thought and fresher in my body.
“I recover quicker. I sleep better. My skin cleared up. I have fewer allergies. There are just so many impacts.”