Lewis Hamilton makes a statement as he swaps MV for Ducati in Canada

Lewis Hamilton has embarked on a surprise change of manufacturer ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, albeit on two wheels this time after making a statement by arriving for duty aboard a top-of-the-range Ducati Panigale V4.

The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion is no stranger to donning his helmet and opting for a more convenient route to events having previously been spotted on MV Agusta machinery heading to this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

However, while Hamilton rode his own endorsed special-edition MV Agusta F4 LH44 in the Principality, in Canada he was straddling a trick Ducati sportsbike to get to the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit.

Much like the F4, the 1103cc Ducati Panigale V4 S sits at the upper end of the sportsbike spectrum boasting 216bhp and 120.9Nm of torque at 11,250rpm.

While the appearance of the ultra rare F4 LH44 in Monaco is little surprise given Hamilton is a residence of the area, his arrival on a Ducati emblazoned with decals from the brand’s Montreal dealership signifies a loosening of the Briton’s commercial obligations when it comes to product placement.

Indeed, Hamilton’s special edition MV Agusta came about during a brief period in which the Italian marque was part-owned by Hamilton’s former team AMG, his current employers Ferrari have no such affiliation with a motorcycle manufacturer.

This is despite Ducati - which is currently dominating the MotoGP World Championship with Marc Marquez - and Ferrari sharing multiple traits as two veritable icons of Italian manufacturing.

That said, it is unlikely you’ll see Hamilton rolling into a race weekend aboard a Ducati beyond 2025 since the firm’s owners - Audi - are set to enter F1 next year with its own team.

Even so, the stunt is a reminder of Hamilton’s affinity with two-wheeled motorsport. Back in 2019, Hamilton engaged in a famous ‘ride swap’ with Valentino Rossi which led to him turning in laps on a Yamaha M1 while the nine-time Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion got behind the wheel of the Mercedes W08.

Moreover, Hamilton is said to be interested in pursuing a future in motorcycle racing in a financial capacity and has previously been linked with both Gresini Racing and KTM to come in as an investor.