Hamilton calls Ferrari pole at Monza "ultimate dream" amid first-lap clash with Leclerc

Summary

Martin Brundle has reiterated his opinion on the controversial first-lap collision between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Monza. Meanwhile, Hamilton and Leclerc had a strong start on Friday, with Hamilton expressing his desire to secure pole position at the Italian Grand Prix in front of Ferrari's home crowd. The story highlights ongoing debates about the incident and the drivers' ambitions for the race weekend.

The Full Story

Lewis Hamilton described the prospect of securing pole position at the Italian Grand Prix as the "ultimate dream" after a strong start to the weekend with Ferrari at Monza. Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc both showed impressive pace in Friday’s practice sessions, with Leclerc topping the timesheets early before Hamilton settled into second place. Despite a challenging second session where Hamilton slipped to fifth, the seven-time world champion remains optimistic about Ferrari’s chances on Saturday.

Hamilton acknowledged the difficulty of matching Mercedes’ straight-line speed, noting that his lack of a tow on the long Monza straights contributed to a nearly half-second deficit behind George Russell. “The long run wasn’t bad, just lacking a bit of pace,” Hamilton said. “A lot of the pace came from straight-line speed, a lot to do with tows and stuff. I was pretty on my own out there.” He emphasized the tight competition expected from McLaren and Mercedes, stressing the need for overnight improvements in balance and speed.

The weekend’s excitement was tempered by a first-lap collision between Hamilton and Leclerc at the first chicane. Hamilton attempted an aggressive move on the inside of Leclerc to take third place, but the Ferrari driver held his line, forcing Hamilton onto the gravel and dropping him to tenth. Hamilton radioed his frustration, claiming Leclerc “pushed me off.” The incident was reviewed by race stewards and ultimately ruled a racing incident, with no further action taken.

Former F1 driver and commentator Martin Brundle weighed in on the clash, describing Hamilton’s move as “naive” and suggesting Leclerc could have given more room but chose not to. “Hamilton rolled up the inside of Leclerc, forcing him wide and meaning a tight entry into Turn 2,” Brundle wrote in his Sky Sports column. “They were side by side and Hamilton stuck it out around the outside. Leclerc understeered wide and nerfed Hamilton off into the gravel.” Brundle noted that chicanes are often treated as a single corner in racing etiquette, making close contact more likely on the opening lap.

However, 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg disagreed with Brundle’s assessment, placing the blame squarely on Leclerc. Rosberg argued that since Hamilton was ahead at the apex on the outside line, Leclerc was required to leave space. “Lewis was ahead going in, so Charles has to leave room, and he didn’t,” Rosberg said, highlighting the differing interpretations of racing rules in such tight battles.

Hamilton’s resurgence with Ferrari this season has been marked by consistent podium finishes and his first win for the team in Barcelona. Sitting joint-second in the drivers’ standings behind Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton has yet to claim pole in red but sees Monza as a special opportunity. “That’s the dream, that’s the ultimate dream,” he said about taking pole in front of the Tifosi.

As the weekend progresses, Ferrari will look to build on their Friday performance and resolve the straight-line speed deficit. The battle between Hamilton and Leclerc remains intense, with their on-track rivalry adding an unpredictable element to the championship fight. Saturday’s qualifying session will be critical in setting the tone for the Italian Grand Prix.