“Everybody is a Ferrari fan,” said Sebastian Vettel during his days driving for the Maranello-based team. The iconic team and the most successful one in Formula 1 history is a place that all racing drivers aspire to be. But not Lewis Hamilton. He apparently had no interest in racing for them in the dusk of his F1 career. However, his ex-teammate and arch-nemesis considers not signing for Ferrari to be a big missed opportunity.

There are a lot of added variables that come with being a driver for the modern Ferrari team. Apart from the regular training and racing, driving in red requires living up to the expectations of the brand that Ferrari is and juggling with the feelings of the millions of Tifosi. But the racer that aces it goes on to become one of the best that ever roamed the racetracks. And that high is what Nico Rosberg wanted to feel in Formula 1.

“In the next life, I want to race with Ferrari–the ex-Mercedes racer said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, as quoted by Formula Passion, before continuing to mention the pressures that come with it too. “But it’s a double-edged sword because if I’m in Ferrari and things don’t go well they crucify you. Their seat is the one with the most pressure.”

Read More: “Can’t Always Say the Truth”: 9 Years After Brutal Loss to Hamilton, Rosberg Confesses His Crimes

While Rosberg never got close to driving for Ferrari, Hamilton did. Though he never signed a deal with them, some good did come out of it.

Ferrari contract talks deepen Lewis Hamilton and Frederic Vasseur’s relationship

Famed journalist, Leo Turrini, reported that the 7-time champion declined John Elkann’s (the CEO of Ferrari’s parent company) offer to join Ferrari with a polite “no thanks”. Despite this, his relationship with Team Principal Frederic Vasseur did not take an ugly turn.

According to reports, “During the month of August, Charles [Leclerc] dined with Vasseur at his house in the south of France and Lewis Hamilton also spent another evening dining with Fred.” 

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Was this summer break meeting Vasseur’s attempt to poach Hamilton or was it just a run-of-the-mill personal outing that they had?