Hamilton 'Really Shocked' by 'Hardcore' Italian GP Penalty

Lewis Hamilton has expressed his "real shock" and described the five-place grid penalty for the Italian Grand Prix as "pretty hardcore." The penalty, stemming from a yellow flag infringement at the Dutch Grand Prix, casts a shadow over his highly anticipated first Monza GP with Ferrari.

Why it matters:

This penalty significantly hampers Hamilton's chances for a strong performance at Monza, a crucial home race for Ferrari and its passionate Tifosi. Despite the setback, he remains determined to fight for positions and make up ground.

The details:

Hn- Hamilton received the five-place grid penalty for failing to sufficiently reduce his speed under double-waved yellow flags during reconnaissance laps at Zandvoort.

• The FIA's decision was only communicated to him after he had returned home from the Dutch GP weekend, leading to his surprise.
• Hamilton acknowledged he did lift the throttle, but the FIA deemed it insufficient, resulting in penalty points.
• He described the situation as not entirely "black and white" but accepted the ruling, stating he has learned from it.

What's next:

Hamilton admitted the penalty makes the Italian GP weekend challenging, especially with the close competition in qualifying. "Getting to Q3 is tough. Getting in the top five is very, very tough. And then on top of that, to then be set back five places is not great when you're going into your first Monza GP with Ferrari," he stated. However, he remains highly motivated, viewing it as an opportunity to fight harder and make up the lost grid positions in front of the Tifosi.