Lewis Hamilton Finds Synergy with Ferrari in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton experienced a sense of unity with his Ferrari Formula 1 car during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, marking the first time since his China sprint win. Despite a challenging season that has not delivered the desired results, Hamilton showcased strong race pace and strategic brilliance to climb from 12th position to fourth place.

A Mixed Bag of Results in Shanghai

Hamilton’s pole-to-flag victory in Shanghai was an exception rather than the rule in a campaign that has been less than fruitful. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, however, offered a glimmer of hope for the Briton as he navigated his way through the pack.

Hamilton expressed his delight, stating, “China was great, but I’ve always loved fighting from the back and coming through. That’s how I started off as a kid. That’s always a better feeling than starting and finishing first.” He continued, “Definitely an absolutely mega race, and so many positives to take away.

Strategy and Fortune Favor Hamilton

The strategy was instrumental in Hamilton’s impressive performance, with the team making excellent calls. Hamilton felt a strong connection with the car during the race, echoing his feelings from China and noting that the setup was excellent.

Despite Ferrari‘s enigmatic qualifying pace, both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc failed to advance past Q2, with cars from Williams, Alpine, Aston Martin, and Racing Bulls outperforming them. Hamilton acknowledged the need to unlock potential in qualifying, stating, “We’ve just got to unlock the potential in qualifying. If we had qualified higher up, we would have been fighting for a podium, which is something we didn’t think was possible.

A Homecoming Filled with Emotions

Hamilton’s uplifting race came at an opportune moment as he made his home debut as a Ferrari driver in front of a record-breaking crowd of 242,000 spectators over the course of three days. The 40-year-old expressed his gratitude, saying, “It’s been incredible, what an amazing experience.

Hamilton shared his emotional connection with the track, reminiscing about watching Michael Schumacher race for Ferrari as a child and feeling a sense of nostalgia seeing red everywhere. He also paid tribute to Ayrton Senna by visiting the memorial dedicated to the legendary racer during the driver’s parade lap. Hamilton concluded, “It was quite an incredible experience to think that I’m now here in one of the two s. And having that connection with such a large passion, for me it’s unbelievable.