Lewis Hamilton will aim for his fifth podium finish of the season at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
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Lewis Hamilton shows off his impressive surfing skills
Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he once had black cats thrown at him by Ferrari fans. The blockbuster star had been linked with a move to the Scuderia earlier this year but put pen to paper on a new deal with Mercedes ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton has won a joint-record five Italian Grands Prix, with his last victory at the Monza circuit coming in 2018. The 38-year-old was locked in a tense battle with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel that year, with the German spinning on the opening lap of the race.
And Hamilton has admitted he has faced hostility from Ferrari fans in the past. “I can’t remember if it was here or somewhere else I got black cats thrown at me,” the Briton told reporters as he spoke about Ferrari followers ahead of the Monza race.
Hamilton won six F1 titles for Mercedes between 2014 and 2020 after already tasting silverware with McLaren in 2008. But he has fallen down the standings over the last two years, with Red Bull and Max Verstappen enjoying a period of dominance.
Read more… Fernando Alonso issues Lewis Hamilton F2 claim as new Mercedes deal announced
Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he once had black cats thrown at him by Ferrari fans (Image: GETTY)
And the veteran has explained that he is now embraced in Italy. “I remember there was a period of time when we couldn’t wear the team shirt into the circuit to now just having such a warm welcome from the Italian fans and the last God knows how many years just feeling really welcome here in a place that I’ve loved since I was 13,” he added.
“The first time I started racing in Italy in Parma and Jesolo and South Garda, it brought me so much happiness. I had so many great memories out here, eating as many pizzas as possible, all the great pasta and best lasagne and gelato ever.
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Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton last won the Italian Grand Prix in 2018 (Image: GETTY)
“So to finally be embraced within the culture, and especially with this incredible crowd that we get here – obviously a large [percentage] are Ferrari fans – but the passion that the Italian fans have is second to none. So I think we’ve got a cool little following here and I look forward to seeing them this weekend.”
Hamilton has had an F1 seat with Mercedes since 2013, with his new deal keeping him at the Silver Arrows until the end of 2025. And after signing his contract extension, the star said: “You’re all stuck with me for a little bit longer. I couldn’t be happier to be extending with this team. We’ve had such an incredible journey together.
“Mercedes have supported me since I was 13 – a long trip – and we still have unfinished business, so we are in this together. We’ve got a lot of work to do to get ourselves back to the front, but there’s no place I would rather be.”
