Lewis Hamilton might not have had the best of races in Monza last weekend as he only managed a P5 finish. Despite the same, F1 journalist Nate Saunders has revealed Hamilton left the venue absolutely buzzing with the excitement of next year’s Italian Grand Prix.
The scenes in Monza after Charles Leclerc scored his second victory for Ferrari at the Temple of Speed were overwhelming, to say the least, with a sea of red cheering for him during the podium celebrations.
Siete i numeri 1 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Forza Ferrari ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ywC3AiCvwT— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) September 1, 2024
For Hamilton, it was a glimpse into the craze the Tifosi have for any driver who wears the Scarlet Red of Ferrari, which is what he’ll be wearing the next time they are in Monza. Reflecting on the reception Hamilton received after the Italian GP on the F1 Unlapped podcast, Saunders remarked,
“I didn’t see him in the [media] pen after but I read his quotes and I saw his interview with Sky Sports. I think Lewis Hamilton left Monza absolutely buzzing now about Ferrari. I think he’s already there but I think that was the first weekend that he’s properly had that moment to really reflect on the move he’s doing next year and see the fans there.”
Saunders also recalled how Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel used to describe the feeling of wearing the Ferrari colors. They both said that they became heroes to the Tifosi as soon as they put on those Red overalls.
For Hamilton, this was the last time he participated in the Italian GP as a non-Ferrari driver. From next year onwards, he is likely to enjoy an even warmer reception from the Tifosi, having already had a trailer this season.