Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton heads to this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix knowing that a hat-trick of successive wins at Monza will put him in charge of the title race after one of the most rollercoaster seasons of his career.
The Briton has a nine-point lead ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg ahead of the final race of the European season, leaving seven overseas contests remaining.
“The result in Spa, at the Belgian Grand Prix, was as good as damage limitation can be, for me — a fantastic result for me and for the team,” said Hamilton.
“Now we go to Monza, a track I know well from so many racing categories in my career and one that is impossible not to love. I had a perfect weekend last year and I know if I can repeat that it will be amazing.
“With all my penalties out of the way now, and fresh engines ready to use, it’s game on for me!”
Hamilton, who was 43 points behind after five races, knows he will face a tough challenge from not only Rosberg, but also Ferrari on their home turf as they seek to end a run of disappointing results in front of the ‘tifosi’.
“I’m enjoying this battle and we’ve got several cars in the mix,” said Rosberg. “For me, it is one at a time and every race is like a cup final. It’s great to know I have the team and the car to go out and lay it on the line.”
Beyond the intra-team scrap for glory at Mercedes, it will be Ferrari attracting most attention as team chief Maurizio Arrivabene looks for a result that will support his opinion that the scarlet Scuderia have made progress and are ready to challenge for a win.

‘On the edge’
The two Ferrari drivers, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, crashed at the first corner in Belgium, in a controversial collision also involving teenager Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
The aftermath of that three-way shunt is likely to continue to reverberate at Monza as the drivers and teams try to prove their positions before moving on.
“For us, there are some positives from Spa,” said Arrivabene. “What is encouraging is, after the accident, both cars were really damaged, on the floor and other parts, yet the performance they showed was quite good.
“Our car was fast and resilient throughout and now we can turn the page and go to Monza feeling positive.”
As Ferrari prepared for home pressures, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner moved to defend Verstappen who, he said, was “on the edge” in his racing in Belgium where both Ferrari drivers said he was dangerous and reckless.
“Look, I think it was firm,” said Horner. “It was on the edge. He got away with it and the stewards were happy with it. If there had been an issue, or it contravened any rules, I think Danny Sullivan (race steward) is a pretty experienced guy and he would have called them up.
“But when he (Verstappen) looks back, I am sure he will see it was on the edge.”
Horner spoke out after former world champion Jacques Villeneuve had suggested that the Dutchman was receiving “protection” from the ruling International Motoring Federation (FIA) because they believe he is a star attraction.
“The issue is the FIA, because it looks like he’s got protection,” said Villeneuve. “They want him to be a star.”
He added: “It’s something that makes me angry, but that’s just the way it is. Twenty years ago someone would have put him in a tree.”
Renault driver Kevin Magnussen has been given the green light to race in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix after passing a fitness check at Monza, his team said yesterday. Renault said on Twitter that the Dane, who bruised his left ankle in a big crash in Belgium last weekend, was “all clear to race”.

Future of Italian race set to be settled
After months of doubt, the future of the Italian Grand Prix is expected to be resolved this weekend with Formula One’s commercial ring-master Bernie Ecclestone signing a deal to keep the event at its long-time home Monza.
The head of the Italian motorsport federation (ACI), Angelo Sticchi Damiani, told reporters at Monza that a 68mn euros ($75.7mn) agreement has been provisionally agreed keeping the race at Monza for three more years from 2017 to 2019.
He said that he hoped final details will be agreed during this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix with a formal announcement confirming the deal.
Sticchi Damiani said that the local Lombardy Region had agreed to contribute around 15mn euros ($16.7mn) to ensure the deal went through.
“There are those who expected a longer period, but if the system will work then a further renewal will not be a problem,” he said.
“But there is another aspect — we know that Europe has so many organisers in crisis, while some destinations such as Turkey, Korea and India were short-lived.
“We have seen that it is a question of money, but also of culture. Here in Europe there is the ‘DNA’ of racing. So let’s wait and see what happens.”
He added that Imola, which had been put forward as an alternative venue, would have been a sensible alternative.
“Imola would have been a good fallback solution if we had not arrived at a deal.”