Lewis Hamilton was buzzing after his first Formulation 1 race in Italy for Ferrari went from Saturday devastation to Sunday delight.
Ferrari’s worst qualifying efficiency in seven races this season, with Charles Leclerc eleventh and Hamilton twelfth, was branded a ‘catastrophe’ by the Italian media however the followers have been cheering once more a day later at Imola.
Hamilton completed a season’s greatest fourth whereas Leclerc was an sad sixth, nonetheless a substantial enchancment on the place he began.
It was the primary time since he joined from Mercedes in January that seven-time world champion Hamilton had crushed his teammate at Ferrari, aside from successful the dash race in Shanghai.
“China was actually nice however I’d say this one was higher,” the Briton informed reporters. “I’ve at all times beloved once you’re preventing from additional again and coming by. That is how I began off as a child.
“It is such a greater feeling than beginning first and ending first. Undoubtedly a completely mega race and so many positives to take from it … there’s tonnes of positives to take from at this time.”
Hamilton stated Ferrari bought the technique proper and it was the primary time he had felt aligned with the automobile since China.
“I believe we made a little bit of an enchancment in our efficiency for the race. We have simply bought to unlock the potential in qualifying,” he added.
“If we had certified higher, we’d have been preventing for a podium which is one thing we did not suppose could be attainable.”
Hamilton misplaced out initially to Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old who took his vacated seat at Mercedes, however bided his time on the arduous tyres till switching to the mediums when the automobile got here alive.
The Briton has loads of expertise of his dwelling followers at Silverstone however recognised that racing in Italy for Ferrari was one thing else.
Organisers put the attendance at 242,000 for the weekend, up from 200,000 final yr.
Even when some are sceptical of the official figures, there was no denying the wave of red-shirted followers flooding Ferrari’s dwelling circuit with their flags and banners and crowding the catch fences.
“It has been unbelievable. What a tremendous expertise,” stated Hamilton, who had solely beforehand skilled it from the opposite facet as a driver the gang hoped to see crushed.
On the parade lap, whereas different drivers talked amongst themselves, he filmed the scene — taking within the memorial to late triple champion Ayrton Senna who died at Imola in 1994 and the ocean of crimson.
Hamilton stated it had reminded him additionally of his youth, sitting at dwelling on the sofa with a bacon sandwich whereas Ferrari nice Michael Schumacher related with the Tifosi and was lifted by their heat and enthusiasm.
“It was fairly an unbelievable expertise to suppose that I am now right here in one of many two Ferraris and having that reference to such a passionate group of individuals. It is unbelievable,” he stated.
“You’ll be able to simply see how passionate persons are for Ferrari. I suppose it does not matter who’s in it, they only like to see the crimson vehicles. The crimson automobile comes and so they get so excited: Crimson, crimson! It is superb to see, it is actually cool.”
