The
“I think learning Italian's going to be the hardest, probably," Hamilton said. "But, jeez, at the moment getting to the podium probably is the less likely one."
Hamilton is in his final year with
The seven-time Formula 1 champion has not won for
Furthermore, Hamilton's run without a podium at all stretches to 10 races dating back to last year. It could easily be 11 after Sunday's Monaco GP, where pole position is crucial on a tight and sinewy 3.3-kilometer (two-mile) street circuit that is so difficult for overtaking.
Given
It's a far cry from his glory days with
“Monaco is more special than any other street circuit,” Hamilton said. "When you’re going through the tunnel and you know that
Hamilton still recalls his first impressions of setting foot in
“I first came here when I was 13 and that really opened my eyes, that became a dream. It was like ‘OK, this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, this is where I want to live,'” Hamilton said. “Driving for the first time here when I was 18, 19, I think it was in Formula 3. I had a little scooter that I rented and I was running around town. It was just epic.”
Many years later, with an F1 record 103 race wins and 104 poles to his name, Hamilton's love of street circuits remains as high as ever — even if he's no longer a favorite to win.
“They're a lot more violent, a lot more challenging,” he said. “More risky, more hair-raising.”
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