Hamilton's Ferrari Debut at Monza Amidst Championship Buzz

Monza, Sep 5 (AP) The Italian Grand Prix is abuzz with anticipation as Lewis Hamilton gears up to make his first appearance at Monza in a Ferrari, amidst the vibrant red wave of the passionate tifosi.

Although this will be Hamilton's 19th race at Monza, it's his inaugural outing in the iconic Ferrari red. The seven-time world champion has claimed podium finishes at the high-speed circuit on eight occasions, including five triumphs in the Italian Grand Prix.

However, Hamilton, who is enduring a challenging first season with the Scuderia, hasn't managed a finish higher than fourth so far. Despite the allure of standing on the podium in red, Hamilton is keeping his focus elsewhere.

"I haven't thought about it," Hamilton stated. "I've been on the podium many times here, so I know what it's like. I've watched other Ferrari drivers up there, but imagining the feeling would be far from reality." Hamilton faces a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's race as Ferrari aims to recover from the Dutch Grand Prix mishap, which saw him and teammate Charles Leclerc crash out separately.

"Every weekend is a new learning experience with this car," he continued. "Ferrari has progressed well in recent years, winning here last year with Charles' impressive drive and strategy."

Hamilton expressed eagerness to see how the car would perform, stating, "We're learning weekend by weekend. There were many positives from the last race. We're committed to building on that foundation."

Title Battle Although Ferrari red will be prevalent, the spotlight in the title race will be on the papaya McLarens. Drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are vying for their first Formula 1 championship.

Norris experienced a setback at the Dutch Grand Prix when his McLaren faltered while chasing Piastri, who extended his championship lead to 34 points.

"I don't think much will change," said Piastri. "Lando's not out of the fight. It's tougher now, but the competition remains unchanged. We're racing hard and pushing our limits."

Radical Changes F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has proposed radical adjustments to race weekends to engage younger fans, with race shortening being the most drastic of these ideas.

"I'd watch from home if that happens," remarked 44-year-old Fernando Alonso. "The problem lies with society, not the sport. No one's discussing shorter football matches. Change might not be necessary."

Domenicali suggested more sprint races as a possibility, claiming driver support, including from typically critical four-time champion Max Verstappen.

Nonetheless, Verstappen expressed consistent feelings on Thursday, remarking, "You know how I feel about sprints. The race length is fine; sometimes it's thrilling, other times not. It's similar in other sports. Sprint races are already quite a leap."

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