IMAGO / Marco Canoniero; IMAGO / HochZwei

Despite the American races’ glitz and glamor, the Monaco GP’s thrill remains unmatched. Whether it’s fans or Lewis Hamilton himself, the magic of the Principality remains incomparable. As Hamilton gets ready for another 78 laps around this beautiful circuit, he looks back at the first time he stepped foot on the streets of Monaco.

Before the titles and accolades, when Lewis Hamilton was just an aspiring F1 driver who made a name for himself in karting and the junior Formulas, he was present trackside before the start of the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix.

Having just won the GP2 race with ART Grand Prix by eight seconds on the weekend, Hamilton was riding the high in a conversation with Martin Brundle, confident he would be in F1 next year. “Hopefully. It’s fantastic to be here. I just hope I can sit there next year.” 

And he was. Although Fernando Alonso won the 2007 Monaco GP from pole, it was the McLaren rookie chasing him that missed the victor’s step by four seconds. Still, a nod to Hamilton’s near-perfect rookie year as an F1 driver.

Now, 17 years, seven World Championships, huge international fame, and a dynasty later, Hamilton looks back on another Brundle moment this weekend at the Principality. “I first came here when I was 13, and that really opened my mind. I got to go on the [F1] grid, which was crazy because I had only seen Martin Brundle in there. It is a really special place.”

Lewis Hamilton and the next chapter

In 2006, Hamilton won the GP2 race in Monaco driving for Fred Vasseur’s team, ART. Next year, almost two decades since the aforementioned feat, Hamilton will join Ferrari and drive for a Vasseur-led team in Monaco once again.

It is one of the lesser talked about excitements about Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Vasseur and Leclerc’s relationship is well known. But the Ferrari changemaker and their new hero go way back. They have grown together, a championship-winning partnership that eventually brought both of them to the pinnacle of motorsport.

That’s the fun part. Replicating the same dynamics at Ferrari and bringing the championship back to Maranello. Hamilton and Vasseuer are embarking on a journey they have been on before, but elevating it. The 2025 sentence has a lot to offer, but all eyes are on Hamilton and his new era in Red.