Lewis Hamilton believes his victory at the Italian Grand Prix was the “psychological blow’ which hurt Ferrari most during the 2018 season.
With what many regarded the best engine on the grid and having won comfortably through Sebastian Vettel a week earlier at Spa, the Scuderia looked to end an eight-year wait for success at Monza but would be denied.
Vettel would spin out on Lap 1 after light contact with Hamilton at the Roggia chicane then tyre wear would eventually allow the Briton to come out on top in a race-long battle with Kimi Raikkonen.
“I would say that day was probably the biggest psychological blow for them,” the newly crowned five-time champion told Autosport.
“They’d had a couple – Seb’s psychological difficult time was when he made a personal mistake [in Germany], when the team makes a mistake it’s painful, but when you personally make a mistake as a driver, when it’s in your control, that’s a horrible feeling.
“So, he would have taken that to heart. Then we had that fight at Monza and that would’ve been a team blow for them surely.”
It was also a huge boost for Hamilton, who admits he felt “pissed” after qualifying third in Italy, but that win would be the third in a run of six wins over seven races dating back to Hockenheim.
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With the gap built up, it was about doing all he had to in Austin and Mexico with fourth place at the latter enough to clinch a fourth title in five seasons and join Juan Manuel Fangio in second on the all-time list for drivers with the most championships.
Something Daniel Ricciardo has great appreciation for.
“My competitive side will always believe I’m the best and in that car, I could do the same things, ‘yadda ya’,” the Australian commented.
“But I definitely give him all the respect and it’s definitely not a go at Lewis: I think he’s been pretty awesome at being able to do what he’s done continuously on track for the best part of a decade.
“[He has] also done his own thing away from the track. For him to live the life he’s living and still keep up such a performance, full credit to him.”