Portugal Colonial - Hamilton revels in Ferrari's 'sea of red' tifosi

"Wow!" said the seven-time champion who left Mercedes to join Ferrari at the end of last year.

"What a day. I am so happy. So happy.

"The experience with the tifosi – wow!

"So, thank you to everyone who came out," said Hamilton, after finishing a rousing fourth from 12th on the grid.

"It was really special for me to see the sea of red, but it looks like one of the biggest crowds we’ve had here. It felt vintage!

"It felt like back in the day when I was watching Michael Schumacher race here. A really great experience to see and to experience.

"I definitely didn't expect us to finish fourth. I didn't know where we would be able to come, given we were so far back.

"The car really felt great and the team did a fantastic job with strategy.

"They were faultless. Slowly, we are getting there and me and Riccardo (race engineer, Adami) did a fantastic job with the communication together.

"I was calm and I think he was calm and the team were calm in executing the strategy and the pit stops were awesome.

"Overall, it was mega! I was hoping for some extra laps and maybe we could have fought for a podium."

After a difficult run in adapting to car, team and language in the opening six 'flyaway' races, Hamilton, 40, showed his heart and spirit as he fought for positions and raced to within reach of a possible first podium for Ferrari.

But it was a different story for team-mate Charles Leclerc, in his seventh year with the team, as he lamented his car’s lack of qualifying pace and other setbacks on his way to sixth.

"You've got to race with heart and put your elbows out," he said.

"You go to the limit and sometimes a bit over.

"When you start P11, as a driver, I cannot accept the situation we are in."

He was dumbfounded by a stewards’ decision to investigate him when he emerged in front after a tense and exciting battle with Alex Albon of Williams.

"With Alex, it was on the limit for sure," he said.

"As the rules are written, I was on the limit. I don't regret what I have done. I knew when I didn't take a pit stop in the second safety car, it was going to be a difficult race."

The team asked him to give a place back to Albon in the closing laps.

Team boss Fred Vasseur said: "The positive is that the pace was strong from beginning to end. The strategy was good and well executed. I'm a bit frustrated because if we started the race in a better position, we could've done better."

M.A.Vaz--PC