Hamilton starts his Monza weekend with style and statement

Monza, Italy (AP) — Lewis Hamilton arrived at Ferrari's home Grand Prix in style on Thursday, driving his new Ferrari F40 to the paddock gates while wearing a black suit and brown overcoat in the heat of northern Italy. The seven-time world champion, with five Monza victories among his 105 race wins, expressed the magnitude of the race, stating that winning for the first time with Ferrari at Monza would be "phenomenal."

Considering the high pressure and his potential as the only Black driver to achieve this feat in Italian history, Hamilton emphasized his determination to secure a win. After a poor first season with Ferrari, the British driver's recent victory in Barcelona boosted his confidence and solidified his position as the second driver in the standings, trailing Kimi Antonelli by 59 points.

Ferrari's improved reliability this season has given Hamilton the upper hand, as he is the only driver to have finished in the top 10 of every race. If Hamilton wins on Sunday, he would take the lead from Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most Italian Grand Prix wins.