Hamilton: Winning at Monza is one of my greatest experiences
9 September, 2012
Lewis Hamilton arrives on the podium after winning the Italian GP
Sep.9 (FIA) Lewis Hamilton took his first ever Monza win in fine style, controlling the race from lights to flag, in the process he notched up his third win of the season, his 20th F1 career win and catapulted himself into second place in the world championship standings. He spoke after the race.
How is it to win the Italian Grand Prix in front of all these fans here?
Lewis Hamilton: It’s been fantastic to win here; you’ve got the best crowd. I’m just so happy for my team; it was really a fantastic day.
Now you’re catching up on Fernando. You’re 37 points behind. It’s got to be a pleasure?
LH: Fernando is a two-time world champion, he’s incredible. I’m very, very happy for him.
That looked a fantastic win, virtually lights-to-flag, apart from during the pit stop. Trouble-free?
LH: It was pretty trouble-free – I don’t think I had any problems throughout the race and the guys did a great job through the pitstop. And I got a good start for once, so very, very happy with that.
Any issues with tyres at all? Was it fairly straightforward?
LH: Yes. Our car has been fantastic all weekend, and it was nice to have a relaxed grand prix with no troubles. I was out on my own for most of the race and just tried to manage the gap behind me. I was cruising at the end, but, once I heard that Sergio [Perez] had got past Fernando [Alonso], I had to push a little to keep the cushion over second place.
And no problems mechanically or anything like that? Obviously your team-mate had a problem.
LH: Very, very unfortunate for Jenson, we were running 1-2 at the time and it would have been fantastic for the team to have won here and have first and second. I don’t really know what went on with his car but it was very unfortunate.
Were you told to do anything to your car?
LH: No.
It’s the third victory in a row for McLaren. Is it a clear message for Ferrari, looking at the championship?
LH: I don’t think so. I think Ferrari were as quick as us this weekend. At least as quick as us this weekend. I think if Fernando had better qualifying, I’m sure he would have been up there with me and made the race perhaps a little bit harder than it was. No, I think Ferrari seem like they’re very, very quick and we need to stay on it to try to continue to compete with them.
After hearing that Button was out, you have obviously drove a bit slower the last laps of the race. My question: have you paid attention to the engine range?
LH: No, you just try to…I was cruising. The last 20 laps I had a 14 second gap. At the time Felipe was behind and he, even though I was cruising, he was going slower than me and then I heard that Fernando had overtook, and it was Fernando who began to catch so then I pulled out a little bit more time and matched his time just to keep it relaxed and then this guy here [Pérez] started catching me at a second a lap. So probably the last four laps I started to push a little bit more, just to maintain a little bit more of the gap.
You put an Italian flag on your helmet, you wanted this win, what does this mean now that you have it?
LH: I put the flag on my helmet just as a sign of respect. Winning at Monza is one of the greatest experiences of my Formula One career. I absolutely love this place: I’ve been coming to Italy to race since I was 13 years old and I just love the culture, the food and the people. Since I started in Formula One, Monza has been one of the races I always wanted to win – it’s such an incredible, historic circuit and all the great racing drivers have won here. To finally put my name on that list makes me feel extremely proud, but also very humble. I hope that this is the start of something good in the future, coming here. I’ve not had the best results in the past, and hopefully in the future we will have a little bit more support here.
Subbed by AJN.
Related posts:
- Flawless Hamilton powers to his first Monza victory
- Monza Practice 3: Hamilton tops by 0.001 seconds from Alonso
- Monza Practice 2: Hamilton tops as McLaren dominates and Ferrari chases
- Italian Grand Prix drivers press conference at Monza
- FIA preview Italian Grand Prix at Monza
Nice job Hamy! However, my hat’s also off to Alonso for that fab drive to 3rd. Alonso’s performance actually better!
@ McLaren Fan
Yeah that comment about “next year” can be taken either way really.
He may well mean that Jensen could achieve it with a different team mate next year, or with himself.
I know it’s easy to speculate but even the radio message “thanks for everything you’ve done guys” sounded more like a career thank you that his usual scream from the cockpit and a comment along the lines of “what a weekend”.
I wonder why Lewis had an Italian flag on his helmet? It’s not like he will have the colours of Singapore on the side of it for the next race will he? ….. and he did specifically point to the red part of the flag. I can’t see him going to Ferrari but as Schu’s helmet is red, and Bernie really letting the cat out of the bag by saying “it’s a shame that Michael will finish without a win”, maybe tells us something.
I thought Michael was being selfish by supposedly ‘delaying’ the driver deals by not announcing his decision until October but whatever will be announced is done and sealed already and it does point to Lewis going to McLaren. Whitmarsh has felt awkward when interviewed this weekend too.
Veni? Vidi Vici (Caesar) I came, I saw, I conquered. Hamilton the gladiator. What ever you do, do not join Ferrari.
V?n ? V?d? V?c? (Caesar) I came, I saw, I conquered. Hamilton the gladiator.
Lewis showed the Italian flag on his helmet as this Lewis the gladiator conquered Monza for the first time. Now that he has won it he should forget about Monza in the future as the uncouth tifosi eyeties will only cheer for Ferrari and jeer other competing winners. All other venues around the world cheer the winner while Monza jeers the winner.
@Andy
I also did not understand completely. But they say he also had the Italian flag. could he have been pointing at that?
It’s not Ferrari for sure unless Ferrari has changed its strategy. Red can also be McLaren. I am so lost.
@Andy – London:
Natalie Pinkham picked up something Lewis said.
“Interesting remark from Lewis to me in pen – Shame for the team that we didn’t get 1,2 here in Monza, but there’s always next year.”
I’m still trying to work out why Lewis pointed to the red on his helmet when he took it off just before the podium. It could mean moving to the red team or replacing someone with a red helmet?
I’m not a speculative person in general but Lewis does have a habit of giving things away in the heat of the moment, and that finger pointing to the red meant something. Also, his radio message could have been taken 2 ways, the way he was thanking them over the radio sounded a little more like he was thanking them for everything rather than giving him a car to win at Monza.
If you didn’t spot the pointing to the red on the helmet, try and watch it on catchup or download it from torrent. It’s more likely to be on the Sky feed as the BBC would have a shorter program.
Listen to the radio message again too…
Quality race shame Jenson wasn’t able to make it a 1-2