Lewis Hamilton plays down Ferrari's Monaco chances despite high expectations

[p]He also warned that the high cost of karting made it "unlikely, if not impossible" for anyone to repeat his rise from an ordinary background to F1.[/p][p]The seven-time champion, whose career was launched in karting by his father's enthusiasm and backing, said he believed that Ferrari would be competitive, but that Mercedes remained the team to beat.[/p][p][b]"I'd say this track is better for us than some of the others,"[/b] he told reporters of Monaco's highly technical circuit.[/p][p]"I don't think power is necessarily going to be an issue here. Our car is good at low speeds so I think that will make us competitive."[/p][p]The 41-year-old, who is preparing for his 19th Monaco race, was more animated when talking about the prohibitive problems facing talented, but under-funded, drivers from ordinary backgrounds.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Hamilton[/a], the first black driver in Formula One, grew up on a council estate in Stevenage.[/p][p][b]"I know someone who has a kid, who is eight years old, that is spending over a million dollars a year,"[/b] he explained.[/p][p]"When I started, my dad spent around £53,000 ($71,000) in the first year. That was remortgaging the house and maxing out all the credit cards."[/p][embed guid="5978e0df-213e-4ac9-ac92-f44dc7bd53fb" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2062505395524890934" social-type="twitter" /][p]He said he felt that the pathway to F1 was no longer open to all young drivers.[/p][p][b]"It's not who has the most talent coming through, but it's the families with the most money that create more chances for their kids.[/b][/p][p]"In my opinion, it's something that is going in the wrong direction, constantly, and there needs to be some way to make it accessible."[/p][p]Hamilton's father Anthony held down several jobs to fund his early career before they met -- and were later supported by -- Ron Dennis, McLaren and Mercedes.[/p][p]He recalled also an early experience when he was a karting team-mate and friend with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rosberg-nico/ne6Roynn/"]Nico Rosberg[/a], who would later join him at Mercedes and beat him to the 2016 drivers' title, when they flew to the Monaco Grand Prix.[/p][p][b]"I remember getting on his dad's jet and thinking, 'I didn't even know they had jets.' Then there was a helicopter waiting... It was like James Bond!"[/b][/p][p]He said the experience inspired him, adding that he recalled the view from the Monte Carlo apartment building they stayed in.[/p][p]He told himself that one day, he too would "live somewhere like this".[/p][p]He now lives in that same building and still finds it difficult to believe.[/p]