Lewis Hamilton is heading into, Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver with optimism, even as a grid penalty threatens to complicate his weekend.
For Hamilton, the atmosphere surrounding the Scuderia has been overwhelming. And the energy from the Tifosi is giving him extra motivation to chase a podium at Monza, per Laurence Edmondson of ESPN
“It was such a unique experience,” Hamilton told reporters on Thursday. “Already from yesterday morning, getting to Maranello, when you walk in and see the Ferrari logo… I still have to pinch myself.”
Lewis Hamilton Feeling the Ferrari Effect
Hamilton admitted the reception from fans has been unlike anything he’s experienced in his long career. From the gates of the Ferrari factory to the streets of Milan, the seven-time World Champion has been struck by the depth of passion.
“There are people outside the factory always,” he said. “I’ve never seen fans outside the factory before, in any of my years. You see that every single time here. There’s clearly just so much love for this brand, and what it means to people.”
Settling Into a New Car
Hamilton acknowledged the challenges of adjusting to Ferrari machinery. Each race weekend has felt like starting fresh.
“Every weekend is the first time driving this car at a track, and the approach is different from my previous experiences,” he explained. “When you go to these places, the set-up’s different, so it’s always new, which I’m enjoying at the moment.”
Ferrari’s recent record at Monza gives Hamilton some hope. The team won last year thanks to a bold strategy and a strong drive from Leclerc.
“I’m just really keen to see how the car works here,” Hamilton said. “We’re definitely learning from weekend to weekend, with loads of positives to take from the last, so we just have to keep building on that.”
The Dream of a Ferrari Podium
Hamilton admitted he has avoided daydreaming. “Honestly, I haven’t, simply because I’ve been on that podium plenty of times here. I know what it’s like to be up there, I’ve seen how it’s been for other Ferrari drivers, and anything I try to imagine, it’ll be far from it, of what that feeling could be.”
Still, the thought of achieving it for Ferrari is a powerful motivator.
Hamilton will start the weekend with a five-place grid drop. That makes the path to the top five even steeper in what is already one of Formula 1’s tightest battles.
“It’s going to be challenging this weekend,” he said. “Qualifying is already so close between us all, so just getting into Q3 is tough, getting into the top five is very, very tough. Then, on top of that, to be set back five places is not great when you’re going into your first Monza with Ferrari. But it gives me more to fight for and I’m very motivated to make up those places.”
Despite the setback, Hamilton remains upbeat. Backed by Ferrari’s passionate fans, he is determined to turn adversity into opportunity.
Lewis Hamilton Soaks in Ferrari’s Tifosi Energy Ahead of Italian GP Grid Penalty at Monza