There’s an added air of excitement among the passionate, red-clad tifosi at the Italian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton is preparing to make his Monza debut in a Ferrari .

It will be Hamilton’s 19th race at the high-speed Italian track, but his first in red, and his weekend got off to a great start as the British driver was fastest in Friday’s first practice session.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has stood on the iconic Monza podium eight times, five of those after winning the Italian Grand Prix.

But Hamilton — who hasn’t finished higher than fourth in a difficult first year with the Italian Scuderia — is not thinking about what it would be like to do so clad in Ferrari red.

“I haven’t (thought about it), simply because I’ve been on the podium plenty of times here, so I know what it’

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