MONZA, Italy, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton made a statement start to his Italian Grand Prix weekend by reporting for duty at Monza in style and at the wheel of his own Ferrari F40 - a dream car he never thought as a boy he would ever get to drive.
Defying the sweltering weather, with a heat hazard declared at the super-fast and history-laden 'Temple of Speed', the seven times Formula One world champion arrived on Thursday in a sharp black suit and posed for photographers in a thick tan overcoat.
The look referred back to his own arrival at a wet Maranello in January last year, when he posed alongside an F40 in impeccable black suit and overcoat.
Hamilton, a five times winner at Monza with McLaren and Mercedes, told reporters it was "the best feeling" to be a Ferrari driver at the glamour team's home race and he wanted to live up to the occasion and highlight the history.
The 41-year-old, whose team are also celebrating the 30th anniversary of Michael Schumacher's first Italian GP win, explained that he had been looking for some time for an F40 -- a car that Ferrari built from 1987 to 1993 with around 1,300 examples sold -- with both an interesting story and low mileage.
He found one that had been driven from the Maranello factory to the owner's house 69km away and was never started again. The passenger door remained unopened and the car covered in a dust sheet.
There were also more surprises in store for the driver who races with the number 44.
"What was also crazy is when they were taking the car apart to check it, firstly, it stood the test of time. Everything was still working. Hardly anything had to be changed," said Hamilton.
"And when they took the engine out, they found out the engine’s number 44. It's got stamped on the engine number 44. I couldn’t believe it."
ENGINE UPGRADE FOR FERRARI'S HOME RACE
If that was fate, then Hamilton will be hoping it smiles on him again at Monza as he seeks to close the gap on Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Ferrari have an engine upgrade while Mercedes driver Antonelli will be starting his home race at the back of the grid due to engine penalties.
"Every little helps; every little helps," said Hamilton, who is who is level on points with second-placed George Russell and 59 behind Antonelli.
The Briton, who will have his mother in attendance this weekend at one of the sport's truly great and most passionate venues, said Ferrari now had a 'north star' -- clear guidance towards where they needed to be -- that was lacking last season.
"To see bits coming each weekend, adding to the car, it’s exciting to see that we are pushing. I strongly still believe that we’ve got what it takes to win,” he added.
"The pressure’s high. You want to deliver for the team. There’s all those people that are at the factory and many of them will come to this race.
"The tifosi come out in huge numbers, the passion is unmatched, and you want to deliver for them as well."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Ken Ferris)
