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United Kingdom’s Lewis Hamilton during the Dutch Grand Prix on August 23, 2026. [AFP]
Lewis Hamilton will seek to boost his hopes of an unprecedented eighth drivers’ world championship with a record sixth Italian Grand Prix win on Sunday when he races on Ferrari’s home tarmac.
As he bids to reduce local hero Kimi Antonelli’s 59-point advantage — the Italian having claimed six wins for Mercedes — the 41-year-old seven-time champion has been given encouraging news.
Ferrari plans to introduce an updated power unit while Antonelli, 20, faces a grid penalty for taking a new engine.
Hamilton shares the Monza record of five Italy wins with fellow seven-time title-winner Michael Schumacher, whose first home win 30 years ago, in his opening season with Ferrari, is being commemorated with a special livery and team kit.
The nostalgic twist will only add to an emotional atmosphere as Italy’s favourite sports team battles the tifosi’s new curly-haired hero, Antonelli, who just happens to come from Ferrari’s homeland of Emilia-Romagna, at the historic ‘temple of speed’.
As they head into the 13th round of this year’s world championship and one of F1’s most treasured events, Antonelli leads on 242 points with his Mercedes teammate George Russell and Hamilton both in pursuit on 183.
Russell is second by virtue of having won twice this year to Hamilton’s once.
For Hamilton, Monza has always been a happy hunting ground.
He won five times at the old Royal Park circuit between 2012 and 2018 and will hope Ferrari have reacted to his criticism of poor teamwork and strategy at last month’s Dutch Grand Prix, won by McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris.
His teammate Charles Leclerc will have his own reasons to shine, which include seeking a third Italian win to add to exultant triumphs in 2019 and 2024.