Lewis Hamilton has declared that a victory at the Italian Grand Prix with Ferrari would be 'phenomenal,' as the Maranello outfit arrives at Autodromo Nazionale Monza buoyed by engine upgrades to the SF-26 and the fervour of the tifosi. The seven-time world champion spoke to media on Thursday ahead of one of the most anticipated races on the Formula 1 calendar.

Hamilton's Monza Record and the Ferrari First

Hamilton has won the Monza Grand Prix five times — once with McLaren and four times with Mercedes — but has never stood on the top step at Ferrari's home circuit. In his debut season with the Scuderia in 2025, he finished sixth, leaving unfinished business at a track where the crowd noise alone can shift momentum.

'There is a first ahead of me, in the sense that if I were to win, I would go into new territory, winning for the first time with Ferrari at Monza. It would be phenomenal,' Hamilton told reporters.

The Weight of the Tifosi and a Personal Touch

Hamilton acknowledged the emotional intensity that surrounds Ferrari's home race, noting the pressure to deliver for a team whose supporters travel in extraordinary numbers. 'The pressure's high. You want to do it for the team. Many of them will come to this race. The tifosi come out in huge numbers with a passion that's unmatched,' he said.

Adding a personal dimension, Hamilton revealed that his mother will be in the grandstands at Monza — reportedly her first visit to the circuit during his Ferrari tenure. 'I don't think she's been to Monza, and certainly not with Ferrari. I wanted her to experience this and bring any lucky dust she can bring,' he said.

Engine Upgrade: A Step Forward, Not the Full Solution

Ferrari has introduced a power unit upgrade for Monza, a circuit where straight-line speed is at a premium. Hamilton was measured in his assessment, describing it as meaningful progress without overstating its impact on the championship fight.

'Every little helps. Until this point of the year, even last race, we were losing 0.4 seconds a lap on the straights. We have carried that deficit,' he said. 'This is a step forward. It is not the whole amount we need, but we knew that was the case.'

Notably, Ferrari's straight-line deficit has been a recurring concern through the season, making Monza — with its long flat-out sections — both a risk and an opportunity for the upgrade to prove its worth.

Hamilton's Title Belief and What It Takes to Win

Despite the acknowledged gap, Hamilton expressed firm confidence in Ferrari's collective ability to mount a race-winning challenge. 'I strongly believe we have what it takes to win. To win this weekend, the whole collective has to come together. Everything has to flow from the beginning,' he said.

This comes amid Ferrari's broader push to close the gap to the championship leaders, with Monza representing one of the circuit profiles that could suit the upgraded SF-26. Whether the engine step translates into a genuine pole-and-win opportunity will become clearer in Friday's practice sessions.