I really like the mix of old and new circuits on the existing calendar and Monza is a particular favourite. The track has a fantastic heritage and as a driver it gives you a very special feeling to be racing here. Plus, I’ve won a couple of times here in FR3.5, so it’s a track I know well and enjoy. It’s also the home race of our powertrain partners, Scuderia Ferrari, so we know we can look forward to that extra boost that such a passionate home crowd gives you, albeit in a much smaller way than Ferrari of course. It’s a great track to see out the current phase of European races, before we head to the long hauls.

It’s always a really emotional experience to be racing here at Monza and particularly as a small part of the Scuderia Ferrari family. The crowd here are always incredibly passionate and together with the historic significance of the circuit, it’s makes for a very special weekend. The track is really very high-speed and so it is quite a different challenge. Plus, the forecast is for mixed conditions, so it could be quite unpredictable. I hope we can head into the flyaway races with a further boost to our current run of two-car finishes.

The Italian Grand Prix is always a very special event on the calendar, both in technical and emotional terms. It is also the home race of our powertrain partner, Scuderia Ferrari, so it does add a greater significance to the event, as we know some of that incredible Tifosi support will be heading in our direction. We will do all we can to have a positive race in front of that ‘sea of red’. The races are coming thick and fast now but there is no better place to end the traditional European phase of the season before embarking on the arduous long-haul phase at what are largely contemporary circuits. We hope to contribute to a successful event all round for the Scuderia on their home turf.