(Motorsport-Total.com) – When Lewis Hamilton enters the paddock of Monza, the view goes far beyond the mere race result. The Briton carries not only the expectations of an entire country at his home race for Ferrari but also feels the historical significance of this race in every fiber. In the Royal Park, it is about much more than championship points – it is about milestones for eternity.
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“I really thought a lot before this weekend when I became aware of the sheer significance of the starting position I have for this Grand Prix,” Hamilton gives a deep insight into his emotional and mental world.
Because Hamilton has the chance this weekend to replace Michael Schumacher as the record winner in Monza. Both are tied at five wins each at the top; a sixth – his first for Ferrari – would make him the sole leader.
The thought of a triumph in the red racing suit even makes the record world champion reverent: “If I were to win, that would be uncharted territory. Winning for the first time with Ferrari in Monza is something… I saw Charles [Leclerc] win in 2019 when I stood on the podium with him. But doing it myself while racing here would be phenomenal.”
Uncharted territory would be a success for Hamilton in two ways. Besides the sporting level, there is a deeply personal, societal note for him: “If I manage that, I would be the only black driver in history to have ever done that for Ferrari in Italy. Many of these thoughts went through my head.”
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The pressure is accordingly high, but the motivation to deliver for the collective is huge. This applies to the employees from the factory who can be on site, to the passionate Tifosi – and to a very special companion: “My mother is here this weekend because I think she has never experienced Monza, especially not on a Ferrari weekend.”
“I wanted her to experience it and, well, bring every bit of good luck dust she can.”
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The 15-hp boost: Maranello launches the attack
To turn the emotional dream into a sporting success, the factory in Maranello has stepped up. A targeted update reportedly brings around 15 additional horsepower to the Ferrari engine.
With this, the Scuderia halves its performance deficit to the still benchmark Mercedes power unit in one fell swoop. This engine disadvantage had held Ferrari back so far in the 2026 season, even though the chassis operates on par with the championship-leading Silver Arrows – currently resulting in an 87-point deficit to Mercedes.
The red upgrade causes increased alertness among the competition. McLaren driver Lando Norris makes no secret that Ferrari has addressed their biggest weakness: “It will probably make them more competitive, so: respect to them. They will make life a bit harder for us.”
“That was clearly their biggest weakness in many scenarios. So they will definitely be a bigger threat this weekend,” he believes.
Antonelli expects a battle at the front
Mercedes also looks at the pursuer’s upgrade with great respect. Kimi Antonelli realistically assesses the balance of power before the race weekend and sees Ferrari right at the front: “I think this is a track that could suit us very well. But we have seen how strong McLaren is and how strong they have been in the last two races. Ferrari will certainly be fighting at the front, especially with the new engine.”
“Our car is still very strong despite missing upgrades since Canada,” he emphasizes. “I think this circuit can be good for us, but we have to consider that Ferrari, McLaren, and even Red Bull could be fast this weekend. We have to keep in mind that especially these two teams will be right at the front.”
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