2025 F1 Italian GP: Lewis Hamilton sets ambitious goal from 10th on the grid at Monza. Lewis Hamilton will start 10th at the Italian GP after a penalty.

Lewis Hamilton: “The target is the top 5, but it will be difficult”

Lewis Hamilton’s first qualifying session at Monza as a Ferrari driver was not lacking in speed. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion secured the fifth fastest lap in Q3, finishing less than a tenth of a second behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. However, due to the penalty he received in Zandvoort for an infringement during the formation lap, the Briton will drop five places on the starting grid. This means that on Sunday at the Italian Grand Prix he will line up in 10th position, starting from the fifth row.

A tough challenge at Monza

Starting 10th at Monza is a significant handicap. The circuit is famously fast, but overtaking is not as straightforward as on other tracks. Hamilton admitted as much when speaking to Sky Sport F1 after qualifying: “I always hope to achieve something more, but I believe today we really extracted the maximum possible.” The British driver, however, has already set himself a clear target for the race, even if he recognises that it might be overly ambitious.

Lewis Hamilton’s realistic but ambitious goal

Looking ahead to Sunday, Hamilton stated that his aim is to fight his way into the top five. He immediately acknowledged the difficulty of the task, noting that the cars ahead of him are extremely competitive. Among those directly in front are both Mercedes, which he described as strong and challenging rivals. “Tomorrow I will try to finish within the top five,” Lewis Hamilton explained, “but it will still be very difficult because the other cars ahead are also very fast. In particular, there are the Mercedes, which are obviously strong and will be in front of me, so overtaking them will certainly be complicated.”

Lewis Hamilton’s comments reflect both determination and realism. The Italian Grand Prix will demand an aggressive but strategic drive, balancing overtaking attempts with tyre and race management. For Ferrari, much will depend on whether Hamilton can use the SF-25’s straight-line speed advantage to his benefit and find the right moments to move up the field.