Lewis Hamilton encountered disappointment during Saturday's qualifying session at Monza, managing only the fifth-fastest time despite showing promising pace throughout practice.
The Ferrari driver finished marginally behind teammate Charles Leclerc, separated by just six hundredths of a second.
His weekend prospects took a further blow as a yellow-flag violation from the previous race at Zandvoort resulted in a five-position grid drop.
This relegates the seven-time champion to tenth place for Sunday's race, positioning him behind both Mercedes cars, Gabriel Bortoleto's Sauber, Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin and Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton apologised after managing just the fifth-fastest time
|REUTERS
Following his qualifying lap, Hamilton immediately contacted his team via radio with an apologetic message.
"Sorry I couldn't get quicker guys," the British driver told race engineer Riccardo Adami. He subsequently added: "Great job today guys. I'm grateful for the push. Sorry I couldn't go quicker."
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Adami responded with reassurance, stating: "No worries, we're getting there. On to tomorrow."
Despite the setback, Hamilton expressed satisfaction with his recent performances. "I am really, really happy with the progress we've made," he told Sky Sports F1.
The driver highlighted improved consistency, noting he'd been within a tenth of Leclerc's pace for consecutive race weekends.
Ferrari pencil in the Italian Grand Prix as one of their biggest events of the years
|REUTERS
Team principal Fred Vasseur observed a notable transformation in Hamilton's approach leading up to the Italian race weekend.
Speaking to Sky Italia on Friday, Vasseur described witnessing a "more aggressive" demeanour from the British driver following his Netherlands performance.
The Ferrari boss attributed this renewed energy to Wednesday's fan event in Milan, where approximately seven thousand supporters gathered to welcome both drivers.
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"He is very sensitive to the affection of the fans," Vasseur explained, noting how the enthusiastic reception helped Hamilton arrive at Monza with renewed focus and determination.
According to presenter Natalie Pinkham, Hamilton received even louder applause than Leclerc during the Milan appearance, despite being the team's recent addition.
Hamilton struggled to articulate his feelings about competing at Monza in Ferrari colours for the first time.
"It's been amazing being here as a Ferrari driver, I can't even find the words for it, to be honest. The fans here are really beautiful," he remarked.
The veteran racer described the overwhelming visual impact of the passionate Italian supporters throughout the circuit.
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"When you leave the garage, when you get down to turn one and see them on the left and the right and throughout the whole circuit, you just see red, just red."
Looking ahead to race day, Hamilton remained determined despite his compromised starting position. "I don't know what's possible, but I've got to wiggle my way through."