Hamilton says Ferrari still trailing Mercedes on straights despite upgrade

Lewis Hamilton has dampened expectations of a Ferrari revival at the team's home race, saying the Scuderia's new engine is "an improvement" but that they remain behind Mercedes on the straights at the Italian Grand Prix, the BBC reported on Friday.

The seven-time champion's comments came after Ferrari introduced an upgraded power unit for Monza, a circuit where straight-line speed is at a premium and where the team had hoped to close the gap to their rivals.

Hamilton had earlier described the upgrade as "a step forward but not the whole amount we need," according to the BBC, tempering optimism among the tifosi ahead of the race.