F1: Hamilton and Vettel lock horns at Italy’s ‘Temple of Speed’

Seven points in it, eight races to go.

Formula One is revving up for the next installment of an absorbing world championship battle as Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton lock horns once again at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

In a season where the Ferrari and Mercedes drivers have wrestled for track supremacy, it’s Vettel who arrives at Monza with a slender championship lead but it is Hamilton who has momentum after victory at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Hamilton hit the ground running after F1’s summer break putting on a driving masterclass at Spa. The 32-year-old equaled Michael Schumacher’s all-time F1 record of 68 poles during Saturday’s qualifying before bossing the race to seal his fifth victory of the year.

A repeat performance at Monza would hand Hamilton the initiative and inflict a psychological blow to Ferrari in front of their adoring Tifosi.

“In Italy it’s all about Ferrari and that puts massive pressure on them,” Maurice Hamilton, veteran F1 journalist and author of “Formula One: The Pursuit of Speed” told CNN.

“What would hurt if Lewis Hamilton wins this weekend is that he will lead the championship. It would also be the first time either he or Vettel have won consecutive grands prix – that tells you how nip and tuck this season is between the two teams.”

READ: ‘My hunger to win again is greater than ever,’ says Vettel

READ: Alonso may ‘look outside F1’

Monza will provide the clearest guide yet as to whose engine – Ferrari or Mercedes – is the more powerful. The affectionately nicknamed “Temple of Speed” is F1’s fastest circuit where drivers blast round at average speeds in excess of 150 mph.

Back in 2004, Juan-Pablo Montoya recorded the fastest lap in F1 history at the track – clocking an average speed of 162.95 mph (262.24 kph) in a Williams car.

One of only four tracks to feature on the inaugural F1 calendar in 1950 that are still used today, Monza is always one of the most eagerly anticipated races of the year.

Silverstone maybe the sport’s spiritual home, Monaco its shimmering seaside jewel, with Spa the track for the F1 purist, but Monza offers a full-blown adrenaline rush unlike anything else.

“Along with Interlagos (Brazil) it is the most atmospheric race you can go to purely because of the passion that just pours down from the grandstands and enclosures,” Hamilton says.

Situated in the grounds of a former royal park north of Milan, Monza holds a noble status for F1 fans who flock from all over the world.

“It’s got such history, that’s what strikes you … the place is so vibrant, you get sucked along by it. Going there on a warm September afternoon – there’s nothing like it.”

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Updated 6:26 AM EDT, Mon September 4, 2017

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Sebastian Vettel on his past, present & future

22:31 - Source: CNN

‘Lewis could win this’

Historically there is little to choose between Vettel and Hamilton at Monza. Both men have won three times and scored five podiums apiece, although the Briton’s pole record is marginally better – he has five to Vettel’s three.

Mercedes has also dominated the last three races in Italy while Ferrari hasn’t won since Fernando Alonso took the checkered flag back in 2010 – the season Vettel pipped the Spaniard by four points to win his first of four consecutive world titles for Red Bull.

This year represents Ferrari’s best chance yet to end the drought, although it’s hard to look past Mercedes.

“I think Lewis could win this,” Hamilton said. “He’s on top form, the car’s working well, but he’s being pushed. All things being equal he should win it. But last weekend was so close – so there’s nothing in it.”

READ: Vettel: ‘Best moment I can picture is winning in red’

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, north of Milan is once of F1's most famous race tracks

Vettel finished two seconds behind Hamilton in Belgium and speaking on Thursday, the German struck a quietly confident tone about Ferrari’s chances at Monza before conceding that Mercedes probably have the edge.

“The form we showed in Spa was real and the speed was there in the race,” Vettel told reporters. “I think we’ve made improvements on all fronts and I’m very happy.

“The track layout suits Mercedes, so we will do our best. There should be a good atmosphere (at Monza) so we will try to give something back.”

Ferrari 125-S, 1947 —

The first ever Ferrari was fired up and left the Maranello factory gates 70 years ago. What followed would reshape motorsport history.

Ferrari 125-S side view, 1947 —

That car, the 125-S, boasted a 1.5-liter V12 capable of producing around 118bhp -- a far cry from the speed machines of today.

Enzo Ferrari, 1920 —

Born in 1898 on the outskirts of Modena -- known for "fast cars and slow food" -- the company's founder Enzo Ferrari devoted his entire life to the pursuit of speed. The Italian is pictured here as a young man sitting in an Alfa Romeo 40-60 HP Racing Type.

Ferrari factory, 1947 —

Much has changed at the Maranello factory since this day in 1947, but the iconic factory gates remain much the same.

Ferrari 125 F1, 1949 —

The 125 F1, driven here by Peter Whitehead, was Ferrari's first Formula One car. The Italian marque has since accumulated over 5,000 races victories across various classes.

Enzo Ferrari, 1961 —

By the '60s, Ferrari was a dominant force on the road and the track. In 1969, Enzo signed an agreement with Fiat Group giving it a 50% stake in the company.

Ferrari 275 GTB-4 —

Thanks to a host of celebrity owners, the Ferrari brand was also rapidly building a reputation for elegance and style. Here, Steve McQueen stands proudly beside his Ferrari 275 GTB 4 by Scaglietti.

Ferrari GTO, 1984 —

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, pictured picking up his Ferrari GTO at the factory, was another that added to the magnetism of the brand.

Ferrari 312T, 1979 —

By the 1970s, Ferrari's F1 cars were capable of over 500bhp. South African driver Jody Scheckter, pictured, won the 1979 World Championship.

Wind Gallery for Aerodynamic Tests —

Ferrari tested new designs using 1/3 scale models -- on show at the exhibition.

Kyalami Circuit, 1997 —

As the turn of the millennium approached, what had started with Enzo Ferrari facilitating gentlemen racing their cars had evolved into a global phenomenon. Here, racing enthusiasts gather at South Africa's Kyalami Circuit to celebrate Ferrari 50th Anniversary.

Ferrari 250 GTO, —

The 1962 Ferrari 250-GTO is most expensive car ever sold at auction, having fetched over $38,000,000. Here a selection of the highly coveted vehicles gather on the model's 20th Anniversary at the Pierre Bardinon estate in France.

Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, 2010 —

An expansive Ferrari-branded amusement park, home to the world's fastest roller coaster, opened its doors in 2010.

Ferrari J50, 2016 —

"Ferrari's story has been one of the great adventures of the industrial age," says, Andrew Nahum, curator of the exhibition.

Ferrari J50, 2016 —

"Ferrari uses the subtle and often unseen techniques of automobile design but with the utmost care and precision," adds Nahum. "The exhibition provides an insight into the history and practice of the whole private world of automotive design."

Ferrari pit stop, 2017 Chinese GP —

The Ferrari Under the Skin exhibition opens on 15 November 2017 and will run until April 2018.

It will feature insight into the life of Enzo Ferrari, unique cars and rarely seen documents -- all illustrating just how far the manufacturer has come.

What's your favorite Ferrari of all time? Have your say on CNN Sport's Facebook page

The evolution of Ferrari — 70 years of speed and style

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Given the seesaw nature of the Vettel/Hamilton rivalry this year, it’s anyone’s guess how the drama will unfold in the coming weeks as the season shifts from Europe to Asia then onto North America.

“You would fancy Mercedes over Ferrari at Monza, but then they go to Singapore which is tight and twisty and that’s Ferrari territory from what we’ve seen so far,” Hamilton said.

Visit CNN.com/motorsport for more news and features

“Then we go to Malaysia, and that’s got a bit of everything and you have to say it’s even-stevens. Then there’s Japan and that’s Mercedes – it’s got fast, sweeping corners rather like Silverstone. Then you go to the US and that’s Ferrari.

“All the way through it’s just going to swing … it could be that Ferrari go to a Mercedes-favored track like Japan and just get it right – we’re only talking here about fractions of seconds, so that’s why it’s genuinely impossible to say.”

As Formula One cars fly past at speeds of up to 200mph, one man captures them with a camera built in 1913.

Meet Joshua Paul, the only permanently accredited American photographer on the F1 tour.

While his contemporaries shoot up to 20 frames per second in a bid for the perfect back-page picture, Paul actively embraces the imperfections in his black and white portfolio.

"I'm trying to romanticize the sport," he tells CNN. "I just want to make it more emotional."

"The imperfections are part of it," he adds. "I could Photoshop them out or clean my holder, but things like scratches and dust marks add to the nostalgia."

After initially struggling to obtain access, Paul now travels around the world photographing the sport's biggest stars.

"It takes years for a team to say yes to a portrait," he tells CNN. "So I just thought: 'Let's take beautiful pictures that might appeal to someone that's not necessarily a racing fan, but who might then take an interest and see F1 through childhood eyes."

The photographer singles out this portrait of Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo as his favorite. "Daniel was very cool and very candid in front of the camera but he had this big smile on his face," Paul recalls. "I was just trying to get him not to smile!"

Not that it's just about the fastest drivers. Paul believes it's "the people behind the sport that make up the magic of Formula One."

His magazine, Lollipop, goes beyond the overriding narrative of the World Championship title battle.

"I'm trying to let this portfolio evolve, and make it more about the people than the cars and the racing," he says.

In an age when the majority of the population can use the camera on their mobile phones to take a passable picture, Paul embraces "the process of photography."

Anticipation is key. "Because I only have 10 film holders, I'm limited to about 20 frames per session, so I think about the shot," he says.

"I try to let the drivers know I'm trying to do something different and often they'll indicate they like what I'm doing," the photographer concludes. "It could just be a nod or gesture, but it means a lot to me."

Going forward, Paul would love to shoot sailing or capture the heritage of football. Like his work? Why not go behind the lens with an award-winning sailing photographer?

Modern-day motorsport through the lens of a 104-year-old camera

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The Italian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday September 3.