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Monza debut as a Ferrari racer has Hamilton ready for another reset

“There’s obviously a huge amount of pressure on us as a team, more so for me now,” Hamilton said. “We’ve not been… I haven’t had a good season.”

Lewis Hamilton should have been looking forward to the Italian Grand Prix weekend as one of the highlights of his maiden season with Ferrari. The seven-time world champion caused huge excitement in Italy when he decided to make the switch from Mercedes, and was welcomed as a hero for his first visits to Maranello. Yet the Sprint pole and victory in China aside, highlights have been hard to come by. Hamilton has shown real signs of progress over the past few months, but the results have not followed, and his comments above were an admission of his situation after crashing out on his own in Zandvoort.

But he got a reminder of just why Monza is likely to be a highlight of his season despite the struggles, when Ferrari filled the center of Milan for a fan event, creating a sea of red in the Piazza del Duomo.

“Yesterday was such a unique experience,” Hamilton says. “I think already from yesterday morning, I got to Maranello and when you walk in and then see the Ferrari logo, I still have to pinch myself.

“It’s really so unique. There are people outside the fac tory always. I’ve never seen fans outside of a factory before in any of my years, and you see that every single time. There’s just such a positive energy, clearly so much love for this brand and what it means to people.

“To be in Milan, really in the heart of it all yesterday and seeing the fans and just how passionate they were… wow. It was intense but very, very positive. I really tried to harness all that good energy that they gave us.”

Hamilton’s mindset is already more positive despite a five-place grid penalty that he was given for not slowing down enough for double waved yellow flags prior to the Dutch Grand Prix. He’s had the taste of what Monza will be like even before getting out on track, and it is motivating him ahead of the race weekend.

But as incredible as it can be to be a Ferrari driver at the Italian Grand Prix, the highs being part of the Scuderia can provide also means the lows can be even tougher to take. The passion that surrounds the team is infectious, but passion alone doesn’t deliver results, and Hamilton says he has been learning the hard way just how much his mood can fluctuate as he chases improvements and success.

“It’s been an emotional roller coaster,” he admits. “Did I expect it to be as volatile in terms of feeling? No. But that’s life. Even though we had a difficult Sunday, we’re coming out on the brighter end of the tunnel.

“I read something recently saying there’s no point stressing about tomorrow because it often puts shade on the present. So I’m really trying not to worry about tomorrow. I’m trying to be present and enjoy every moment, because this half of the season has gone by really quick. It’s my first half a season with this team and there’s obviously a long way to go.

“I don’t want to miss any of these special moments. For example, yesterday, my first Monza in Ferrari red. When I leave the garage tomorrow, it’s going to be incredibly special coming onto this circuit. I reflect on when I was a kid watching Michael [Schumacher] winning here. Now I get to have that experience of being on the receiving end of the tifosi.

“I want to give them absolutely everything this weekend, to get the best result for them because the passion and the support they’ve given me and this team is like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

Although the results haven’t been showing it, Hamilton feels he’s making progress in unlocking the potential of his Ferrari SF-25. Zak Mauger/Getty Images

After Zandvoort, Hamilton and Ferrari conducted a deep dive into the reasons for his crash, but also acknowledged that the approach to the race weekend had worked much better for them up until that point. It was a further hint at the progress that is being made as the two sides get used to each other’s way of working, and that’s progress that they will want to continue to display under the intense scrutiny of the tifosi at Monza.

“This [season], really living the dream, moving to race with Ferrari…” he muses. “Of course, I had the whole of last year to think about it and try to prepare, but there are still things you couldn’t foresee. There’s been a lot of adjustment both from my side and the team’s side. They’ve really moved heaven and earth to accommodate me.

“Obviously, there are cultural differences. Fred [Vasseur, team principal] made a comment that perhaps they underestimated me joining the team and the year we’ve been faced with in terms of the problems with the car. So, a combination of all those things.

“But honestly, the harder it is, the better it can make you. This year has been tough for everyone in the team, but it prepares us for better days. We’ll be stronger having gone through this tough first six months. I’m really excited and motivated for a positive uphill battle from here, and I feel like I’ve got the best people around me to do that.”

A fairytale victory looks a long way away given Hamilton’s results so far this season and given the penalty he already has, even a first podium would be a stretch. But Monza might just provide a reminder of how special it could be for the 40-year-old to taste success with Ferrari, which would be a timely boost after such a challenging season so far.