Lewis Hamilton didn’t hold back as he stormed to the top of the timing sheets at Monza, but the seven-time world champion had more than just lap times on his mind. The Brit was quick to express relief after Mercedes’ young prodigy, Kimi Antonelli, walked away unscathed from a massive crash that could have easily turned tragic. “I’m happy that Kimi was OK as that was a big accident. The main thing that matters is that he was OK,” Hamilton said, addressing the tense atmosphere that gripped the paddock after the incident.
But it wasn’t just Antonelli’s wreck that had tongues wagging. Hamilton’s performance on the newly resurfaced Monza track sent shockwaves through the competition. Despite a chaotic day marked by graining tires and struggling rivals, Hamilton made it clear that Mercedes had cracked the code. “The car has felt good from the start,” he declared, brushing off the challenges presented by the fresh tarmac and reconfigured kerbs that had others spinning in circles.
Mercedes, never a team to rest on its laurels, wasn’t satisfied with just topping the timesheets in FP1. Hamilton revealed that significant changes were made ahead of FP2, and they paid off. “We made some solid changes ahead of FP2 and the car took a step forward in that final hour,” he stated, hinting that the Silver Arrows are only just getting started. With both the team and Hamilton laser-focused on perfecting their long-run pace, the message to rivals is clear: Mercedes is coming for the win.
However, Hamilton wasn’t about to let anyone think the job was done. “There’s still some work for us to do overnight both here and at the factory,” he warned, underscoring the relentless pursuit of perfection that has defined his career. With the Italian GP weekend in full swing, all eyes are now on Mercedes—and if Friday is anything to go by, the competition should be very, very worried.
