The Formula 1 circus has arrived in Monza for its annual running of the Italian Grand Prix — and for Lewis Hamilton, this year things feel a little bit different.
The Mercedes driver will make his swap to the Ferrari Formula 1 team next year, in 2025, but he’s already feeling the love from the tifosi at Monza.
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher & Sam Cooper.
The first big move kicking off a chaotic Formula 1 2025 silly season began with Lewis Hamilton before any racing actually took place. At the start of the year, Ferrari announced that seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton would join the Scuderia alongside Charles Leclerc in 2025 — and ever since, we’ve watched some massive changes sweep over the grid for next season.
Even though he isn’t officially racing for Ferrari quite yet, Lewis Hamilton told a pre-race press conference of assembled journalists, including PlanetF1.com, that it feels “different” coming to Monza this year.“I’m not gonna lie, it definitely does feel a little bit different,” he admitted.
“I mean, it always feels special when you come here — coming here at a decent time in terms of the weather’s incredible today and obviously the huge changes they made to the track.
“But as Charles was saying, there’s always such an incredible passion throughout Italy, just in the culture in general, but particularly about racing, and it’s always exciting to see the fans that we’re going to see throughout the weekend, the passion here and the excitement that they really bring to this race is not particularly matched in too many places.”
But for Hamilton, things aren’t completely different. After all, he admitted to feeling a warm welcome in Monza no matter who he was racing for.
“Over the last few years, I’ve had a really warm welcome every time, if I’m honest,” Hamilton said.
“There was one time when we were really fighting against Ferrari. Even then, people were positive. There was never any negativity.
“I think over the past few years, I’ve heard ‘vieni Ferrari,’ come to Ferrari. I heard that quite a lot, so it’ll be interesting to see how that is this year.
“Already in Imola, for example, I got a really warm reception, and there was this amazing picture of me, [Charles Leclerc] and Fred [Vasseur] as saints.”
He added that that the passion of the Italian fans is a special experience.
“When you’re on the podium, seeing the tifosi all the way down to Turn 1 and then throughout the world, to be honest [is very special],” Hamilton said.
“Again, I don’t know really what to expect, but I’m looking forward to connecting with that community and being on the journey with them as we work towards taking the team forward.”
Charles Leclerc was asked if he had any advice for his incoming teammate, particularly as it pertains to being a Ferrari driver in home territory.
“I don’t think Lewis needs any kind of advice,” Leclerc began, laughing, “but it’s definitely very, very special to be driving for Ferrari in Monza and in Italy.
“There’s something that’s iconic and it’s such a special feeling, the amount of support we have. We obviously have it everywhere in the world, but whenever we are in Italy, it’s extra special.
“But Lewis will be experiencing that next year, and we’ll experience that together, and I’m sure it will be a special year.”
Practice for the Italian Grand Prix has yet to get underway, but it’s certain that Ferrari will be pursuing a home victory at Monza.
