Lewis Hamilton believes a win for Ferrari at the team’s home race in the Italian Grand Prix would be a phenomenal moment in an already storied career for the seven-time champion.
The British driver, who would make history if he takes the flag at Monza, endured a torrid time with the Scuderia last season but goes into the race this weekend with a win under his belt and a very competitive car that may prove to be even quicker on the high speed blast around the famous track.
Ferrari are bringing their second engine upgrade this weekend with expectation of narrowing the gap to title leaders, Mercedes. Hamilton currently trails the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, by 59 points, alongside Mercedes’ George Russell.
If Hamilton wins the Italian GP he will pass Michael Schumacher’s record of five wins at Monza, all of which the German scored with Ferrari. The team are honouring him this weekend with a special livery to mark 30 years since Schumacher joined the Scuderia.
Hamilton was more than aware of quite what a Ferrari home win in front of the Tifosi would mean.
“I’ve really thought coming into this weekend, I pondered just thinking of the sheer magnitude of the concept that I’m coming to this grand prix,” he said. “Firstly, I didn’t know that I was equal with Michael for wins at Monza and then there’s the thought of a first ahead of me in the sense of potentially winning at Monza for Ferrari and going into new territory. That would be phenomenal.
“If I did do that, I will be the only black driver to have ever done that for Ferrari in Italy, and possibly in history, too. So, a lot of those thoughts have been going through my mind.”
Hamilton, always aware of the import of history and in making an impact, did so in no little style when he arrived at the track on Thursday. The 41-year-old pulled up at the paddock in his new Ferrari F40, suited and booted to make a photocall to echo the one he made on his first appearance for Ferrari at Maranello in January last year, where he also posed in front of one of Ferrari’s F40s.
He has long coveted an F40 and finally succumbed to purchase what he called the car of his dreams earlier this year, which it transpired was a very special one he felt had been destined for him.
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“I wanted to find the most authentic one and managed to come across this one that the owner had bought, drove it from Maranello to his home, 69km away, and then parked it and never started it again,” he said. “The passenger door had never been opened, it just had this cover on it and all this dust.
“When they were taking the car apart to check it they took the engine out, they found out the engine’s number 44. It’s got stamped on the engine number 44 [Hamilton’s car number]. I couldn’t believe it. So, it feels very much like fate. I thought it was a real opportunity to kind of highlight the history of Ferrari in their home country, at their race and when am I ever going to get to do that again?”
