Lewis Hamilton says a Ferrari win at Monza would be “phenomenal” and would put him into new territory at the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
The seven-time champion heads into Ferrari’s home race with the possibility of moving past Michael Schumacher’s five wins at Monza, a mark that gives this weekend an extra layer of history for Hamilton and the Scuderia. Hamilton said he only recently realized he was level with Schumacher at the circuit, and the idea of winning there for Ferrari has clearly stayed with him.
“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,” Hamilton 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.”
Hamilton added that doing it in Ferrari colors would carry a deeper significance. “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,” he said.
Ferrari bring an upgrade package to Monza
The weekend also matters because Ferrari are bringing their second engine upgrade to the Italian Grand Prix. That gives Hamilton another chance to see whether the team can close the gap at a race that already holds special weight for Maranello and its supporters.
Hamilton arrives at Monza after a torrid time with the Scuderia last season, but this trip feels different. Earlier this year, he bought what he called the car of his dreams, a Ferrari F40, and he arrived at the paddock on Thursday in that car. Hamilton said he wanted to find the most authentic version possible, tracing it back to an owner who had bought it, driven it from Maranello to his home 69km away, and then left it parked and untouched.
The details only added to the feeling that this weekend means more than a standard race. Hamilton said the engine number in the car was 44, matching his own number 44, which made the discovery feel 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?” he said.
Ferrari are also marking 30 years since Schumacher joined the team with a special livery, making the Italian Grand Prix even more rooted in the team’s history. For Hamilton, the stage is clear: a chance to race at Monza for Ferrari, chase a record-setting win, and put himself in a place no one else has reached in the same way.
