Hamilton hunts sixth Monza victory to revive eighth F1 title hopes

Lewis Hamilton arrives at Monza chasing a sixth Italian Grand Prix victory and a fresh chance to revive his bid for an eighth Formula One world title.

The Ferrari driver trails Mercedes’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 59 points. Antonelli has 242 points after six wins this season, but Hamilton’s prospects have improved with Ferrari’s planned introduction of an upgraded power unit and a grid penalty expected for Antonelli after he used a new engine.

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This is a step in the right direction and, as we know, this season is all about small advantages.

Victory would also give Hamilton the outright record for wins at the historic circuit. He currently shares the mark of five victories with Ferrari great Michael Schumacher, who claimed his first Italian Grand Prix win 30 years ago during his first season with the team.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said the upgraded power unit could provide a small advantage in a tightly contested race. “This is a step in the right direction and, as we know, this season is all about small advantages,” he said. “Monza is a challenging circuit and the differences between the cars are very small, so our priority is to make sure every aspect of the race weekend is executed as well as possible.”

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Monza is a challenging circuit and the differences between the cars are very small, so our priority is to make sure every aspect of the race weekend is executed as well as possible.