Lewis Hamilton delivered a gritty comeback drive at the Italian Grand Prix, climbing from P10 to P6 in front of the Tifosi and leaving Monza with a newfound sense of optimism about Ferrari.
Coming into his first Italian GP as a Ferrari driver, Hamilton arrived off the back of disaster in Zandvoort, where both he and Charles Leclerc crashed out in a double DNF at Turn 3. Ferrari needed redemption on home soil, though Hamilton carried the weight of a five-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement.
On Friday, Ferrari looked sharp — Hamilton topped FP1 and the Maranello garage believed McLaren could be challenged at Monza. But Saturday’s performance fell short, with Leclerc qualifying P4 and Hamilton P5 before his penalty dropped him to P10. He even apologised to the team over radio for his lack of pace.
Sunday, however, was a different story. Hamilton cut through the field with determination, eventually finishing P6 after a strong recovery drive.
Vasseur: “In his mind, it’s a new start”
Team boss Fred Vasseur praised Hamilton’s effort and revealed what the seven-time champion is now feeling inside Ferrari.
“Honestly, I think he did a very strong weekend. He was there from FP1, he was P5 in quali and with the penalty, [he] had to fight the first 10 laps to come back P6 behind George.
“And then he was matching George and it’s a good recovery. Not an easy weekend for him with the penalty, but OK, now it’s a new start of the season I think in his mind. Let’s fight,” Vasseur told F1 TV.
It’s a fresh mental reset for Hamilton, who had admitted frustration earlier this year with Ferrari’s SF-25, particularly its tricky ride height and balance issues. Before the summer break, he even sent the team written documents demanding change.
But after Monza, the Brit left encouraged, reminding many — including pundit Karun Chandhok — of Nigel Mansell in the way he thrived under pressure in front of the Tifosi.
Hamilton’s message to Ferrari fans
The Tifosi didn’t see a Ferrari on the podium this year, but Hamilton’s performance — alongside Leclerc’s — ensured the team extended their gap over Mercedes to 20 points in the standings.
And Hamilton gave Ferrari’s faithful one more reason to cheer with his final radio message, thanking the Tifosi in Italian and saluting both the fans and his team:
Ferrari fans will see it as proof that, in Hamilton’s mind at least, this season has just begun.
