Lewis Hamilton is gearing up for his first Grand Prix in Ferrari red at the legendary Temple of Speed. However, the seven-time world champion arrives in Italy with mixed feelings. The weekend in Zandvoort, where he crashed and spun twice in the training sessions, is still fresh in his memory.
“I’m not one to make such mistakes,” Hamilton admits candidly. “I feel terrible about it, but I’m receiving a lot of support from the team. In hindsight, my mistakes were a combination of factors, so it wasn’t all on me. But especially in the race, I see that we’re making progress, so I remain positive about the direction we’re heading.”
The Brit is determined to perform better in Monza. Yet, for him, it’s a weekend full of unknowns: he’s driving here for the first time for Ferrari, on the circuit that symbolizes the tifosi and Italian pride. “I don’t know what to expect because I haven’t driven this car here before,” says Hamilton. “But Ferrari usually does well here.”
An additional hurdle is a five-place grid penalty he incurred in Zandvoort. “I was honestly shocked by the penalty,” he confesses. “But it is what it is. It does make it an extra challenge. Making it to Q3 in the qualification is already tough, let alone reaching the top five. This penalty is far from ideal for my first time in a Ferrari in Monza, but I’m going to fight for it.”
