Lewis Hamilton completed a very respectable turnaround in Imola after being knocked out in Q2 on Saturday.
Aided by a timely safety car at the end of the race, the Brit was able to drag his Ferrari close to podium contention during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s decision to start on hard tyres paid dividends and allowed him to stay ahead of his teammate in the closing stages and pass Alex Albon.
The result sees him climb up to sixth in the drivers’ championship, just eight points behind Charles Leclerc.
Damon Hill was impressed by Hamilton and his attacking approach to his first race in Italy in front of the Scuderia’s adoring Tifosi.
Hamilton did something at Imola Michael Schumacher never did and made a genuine effort with the Italian fans to speak their language almost immediately. That may have won him more support.
READ MORE: Marc Priestley says Ferrari have a serious ‘problem’ which might ruin Lewis Hamilton’s season
Ferrari fans sent Lewis Hamilton a clear message with ‘unconditional support’ in Imola
Following Ferrari’s double Q2 elimination in Italy, it would have been easy for their own fans to turn against them. Especially considering how difficult the start of the season has been.
Ferrari’s Imola qualifying was a ‘disaster’, but bouncing back with two cars in the top six on Sunday was a very respectable effort.
And the crowd couldn’t have responded in a better way, staying faithful to their seven-time champion and respectful of his efforts, according to Motorsport.com’s Franco Nugnes.
“I must also say that the unconditional support of the very red Imola public certainly had an impact because you can’t betray those people,” he said. “No one dared to whistle. I was expecting a barrage of boos on Saturday, to be honest.
“After the result, there was constant encouragement from the fans and I think that counts as much in the stadium that becomes the 12th player. I think that the desire to react between Saturday and Sunday in Maranello, something counted.”
READ MORE: Ferrari fans can’t believe what ‘delusional’ Frederic Vasseur just said after Imola qualifying disaster
Is Lewis Hamilton building some Ferrari momentum after Imola?
Hamilton had one massive Ferrari issue at Imola, but he overcame it and built some confidence through the weekend, which he can carry into the next few European races.
At one stage, he was a lot more than just eight points behind Leclerc in the championship, which is an encouraging sign too.
Team boss Fred Vasseur remains optimistic that the team’s concept is the right one and can bear fruit for them down the line.
Had they started near the front in Imola, they might have been able to compete for a podium on merit, such was their race pace.
All they need to do now is figure out their main issue and work towards correcting it. Currently, they’re unsure of what exactly is hurting them, and it’s damaging their hopes every weekend.
