Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton would have dreamt of standing on the top step of the podium at Monza when he first agreed to leave Mercedes last season.
Every Ferrari driver hopes to win the Italian Grand Prix to earn the adulation and eternal gratitude from the Tifosi.
Charles Leclerc has experienced that feeling twice, winning at Monza in 2019 and 2024.
His new teammate Lewis Hamilton has experienced victory at the Italian Grand Prix on five separate occasions.
Hamilton won at Monza on his final visit to the circuit as a McLaren driver before winning four races in five visits between 2014 and 2018.
After Sunday’s race, Hamilton was quick to thank Ferrari’s fans for their support after making up four positions to finish sixth.
RANKDRIVERTEAMPOINTS1Max VerstappenRed Bull252Lando NorrisMcLaren183Oscar PiastriMcLaren154Charles LeclercFerrari125George RussellMercedes106Lewis HamiltonFerrari87Alex AlbonWilliams68Gabriel BortoletoSauber49Kimi AntonelliMercedes210Isack HadjarRacing Bulls1
Nico Rosberg was impressed by the change he saw in Hamilton across the race weekend, and he appeared to be far more positive in his interviews.
However, Ferrari cult hero Jean Alesi was less impressed with Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix.
Alesi was despondent after Ferrari failed to secure a podium on Sunday, and explained exactly why he was far from impressed with the seven-time world champion’s attitude.
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Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty ImagesJean Alesi ‘didn’t like’ Lewis Hamilton’s attitude after failing to help Charles Leclerc in qualifying
Alesi was writing in Corriere dello Sera after the race, via FormulaPassion, and he explained: “Verstappen: extraordinary, especially in qualifying when he took pole, alone, without a slipstream.
“And then he was aggressive as always at the start before adopting a wise and correct attitude when he handed the position back to Norris.
“Then he repassed him and definitively pulled away.
Grand Prix starts201ConstructorsTyrrell, Ferrari, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, JordanPole positions2Wins1 (1995 Canadian GP)Podiums32Fastest laps4Points241Best championship result4th (1996, 1997)Jean Alesi’s Formula 1 career
“I didn’t like Hamilton’s attitude, however. He really could have, and perhaps should have, helped Leclerc in qualifying on Saturday.
“Everyone expected Lewis to behave like that, without even being asked to do so, given his words, the course of the season, and his first encounter with the Italian fans.
“I agree, even though a better grid position wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the race for Ferrari.
“It’s clear we’ll have to wait until next year, maintaining our faith and trust.”
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Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton closing the gap to Charles Leclerc after tricky start at Ferrari
Leclerc currently has a 46-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers’ championship with eight races remaining.
It’s not out of the question that Hamilton could catch his new teammate, although Leclerc appears to be improving with each passing season.
Hamilton should have started alongside Leclerc at Monza, were it not for the five-place grid penalty that he had to deal with following his infraction that carried over from Zandvoort.
Position Drivers’ Championship PointsPts 1 324 2 293 3 230 4 194 5 163 6 117 7 70 8 66 9 38 10 37
He struggled at points during the race, but his tyre management looked good, and he made light work of overtaking the likes of Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto in the early stages of the race.
Alesi was critical of Hamilton before the summer break when he was being overly negative about his own performance.
Ferrari fans demand perfection from their team and their drivers, and while Hamilton has demonstrated that ability in the past, they’re still waiting for that ultimate race weekend from the 40-year-old this season.