The seven-time world champion did not spare himself after Zandvoort. Two days on from a fourth-place finish that turned into an argument on the pit-wall radio, Hamilton posted a message taking responsibility for how he had reacted in the car.

“I’ve listened back to some of my radio and TV comments. In the heat of the moment, frustration can come out, especially when you care as deeply as I do.”

“But that wasn’t the best version of me. I take responsibility for that, and I’ll be better.”

The most-quoted line from Sunday’s race was the one that made him post it. Held up behind Charles Leclerc after Ferrari left the Monegasque out for an extra lap, Hamilton lost the seconds he later reckoned had cost him a shot at the podium and told the team over the radio: “Great way of wasting time, good job.”

Read also: Phil Foden poised for resurgence and leadership under Enzo Maresca

A fourth-place finish that felt like a loss

The Dutch Grand Prix on 23 August went to Lando Norris. Antonelli was second, Russell third, Hamilton fourth just 0.849s off the podium, and Leclerc fifth. Ferrari left Zandvoort with no rostrum but plenty of internal noise about the pit-stop sequence, with Hamilton on fresher rubber and stuck in his teammate’s dirty air at exactly the wrong moment.

Speaking after the race Hamilton was calmer, telling reporters the pit crew had done “a fantastic job” and calling the wider strategy “generally very, very good”. His technical diagnosis was blunter.

“We still lose a lot on the straights, and it’s a deficit that’s difficult to make up in the corners. But we’re not far away.”

The championship maths ahead of Monza

Antonelli sits on top of the drivers’ standings and, according to reporting on the post-race table, holds a 59-point lead. Hamilton and Russell are level in the chase, with the Mercedes driver ahead on countback. Norris, whose Zandvoort win was his second in a row, is fourth. Leclerc is fifth for Ferrari.

Read also: Ronaldo’s “stolen” goal exposes a problem before he reaches 1,000

That leaves the tifosi’s home weekend as an obvious inflection point. Ferrari has been building towards Monza with a two-stage engine push under the FIA’s ADUO framework: a Shell fuel revision worth around five horsepower and a redesigned turbocharger targeting the bulk of a gain that the Maranello factory hopes will land near 30hp combined.

Vasseur tempers the hype

Team principal Frédéric Vasseur has spent the run-in trying to lower expectations rather than raise them. He told reporters that the upgrade would not, on its own, close the gap to Mercedes.

“I think there is much more into the execution than into the pure potential.”

Hamilton’s own framing for the home race is more emotional than tactical.

Read also: Arsenal’s bargain sale could help Barcelona win the Álvarez battle

“At Monza we need to start strongly and find the right balance from the beginning. I hope our pace will be better and that we can fight for something special; we’ll do it with our hearts, for all the fans.”

Lights out for the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is on Sunday, 6 September 2026.

Read also: Seven goals, 146 passes and a calm Xabi Alonso: what Chelsea's Brighton win really said