Lewis Hamilton said he was not prepared for how "volatile" his time at Ferrari has been, describing his first 15 races in red as "an emotional roller coaster."
The seven-time champion left Mercedes for Ferrari over the winter, but has struggled for performance at his new team, scoring one sprint race victory in China but no podium finishes in grands prix.
This weekend he will race in his first Italian Grand Prix at Monza as a Ferrari driver, but already faces a five-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement at the last round at Zandvoort.
Despite numerous setbacks throughout the year, including a disastrous qualifying session in Hungary where he declared himself "useless," Hamilton believes he and Ferrari are now starting to make progress.
"It's been an emotional roller coaster," he said when asked in Monza how he has dealt with the emotions of his first year. "What can I really say?
"Did I expect it to be as volatile in terms of the feeling? No, but that's life.
"And I'd like to think that we're coming, even though we had a difficult Sunday [in Zandvoort], we're coming towards the brighter end of the tunnel. I read something recently where it was saying, 'there's no point stressing about tomorrow because it often puts shade on the present'.
"So I'm really trying not to worry about tomorrow. I'm really trying to be present and enjoy every moment because, you know, this half of the season has gone by really quick.
"There's obviously a long way to go. But I don't want to miss any of these special moments that we're having. Like my first Monza in Ferrari in red when I leave the garage tomorrow, it's going to be incredibly special coming onto this circuit.
"I just really reflect on when I was a kid watching Michael Schumacher winning here. And now I get to have that opportunity, that experience of being on the receiving end of the Tifosi. And I want to give them absolutely everything this weekend to get the best result for them because the passion and the support they've given me and this team is like nothing I've ever seen."
Hamilton joined Ferrari after 12 years driving for Mercedes and has often noted the significant differences between the two teams.
Speaking about how much he has needed to adapt, the winner of 105 grands prix admitted he and Ferrari both underestimated the challenge of joining forces.
"I had the whole of last year to think about it and try to prepare, but there are still things that you couldn't foresee," he explained. "And there's been a lot of adjustment, both from my side and my team's side to Ferrari's side. And I think that really moved heaven and earth to accommodate me.
"Obviously, there's the culture differences. And I think Fred [Vasseur, Ferrari team principal] made a comment, probably they perhaps underestimated me joining the team and obviously the year that we've been faced with in terms of the problems that we faced with the car.
"Honestly, I think the harder it is, the better it can make you. And I think this year has been tough for everyone within the team, but I think it really prepares us for better days. And I think we'll be stronger having gone through this tough first six months and I'm really, really excited and motivated for a positive uphill battle from here."
Celebrating Niki Lauda
Ferrari will run a one-off livery this weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of Niki Lauda's first world title with the team in 1975.
Hamilton, who worked with Lauda when the three-time champion was a non-executive chairman at Mercedes, will also carry the Austrian's name on his helmet.
Speaking about his friend, who died in 2019, Hamilton said he often thinks about the advice Lauda would be giving him at Ferrari.
"I think it's amazing this weekend because I got to celebrate Niki at Mercedes, I got to celebrate winning with him, winning championships with him, and then to be able to come to Ferrari and then also be able to celebrate him here is really, really cool," Hamilton said.
"His legacy continues to live on and I know right now, I know what he would be saying to me nowadays and it's always in the back of my mind, that thought. Yeah, when I didn't do well, he would always say ... he would say, 'give him hell', but he would always say it with the word, a---holes. That was always his thing.
"I remember at the beginning, I never understood. I was like, what do you mean? You mean, 'give him hell'?
"He was like, no, 'give him a---holes'. But yeah, he was just such a fighter."