Monza GP: LeClerc wins Ferrari home race
Charles LeClerc pulled on a stunning 1-stop race to win at Monza. Oscar and Lando came P2 and P3.
LeClerc : King of Monza
No one had expected this to happen. Ever since the home win for LeClerc at Monaco Ferrari have been on a backfoot and really struggled with the car pace. LeClerc has mostly been disappointed after the race and the standard statement is that there is a lot of work to be done on the car. Monza, the home race for Ferrari, was where they got a lot of upgrades and specially a new ultra-slim back wing. All this apart from a new race suit for the drivers in Carbon black and a slight change in livery.
The practice sessions were good and they were in the mix with the Mercedes and the Red Bulls. LeClerc started P3 and Carlos P5. At the race start Oscar pipped Lando and the Charles overtook him to secure P2. After the first pit stop LeClerc found himself behind Lando again. However Ferrari decided to go for only one pitstop as compared to two for the McLarens. LeClerc worked his magic and made the 1 pit strategy work somehow and winning the race. Carlos couldn’t do the same but still finished P4.
McLaren woes at Monza
McLaren were actually not that bad. It is just that LeCLerc pulled off a stunner by making a one-stop strategy work. Still they would be disappointed. Lando starting from pole was ahead at the first turn but then Oscar pulled off a great move to secure the race lead. In all of this LeClerc got ahead of Lando but Lando got the second position back after the first pit stop. The McLarens soon had a second pit-stop too but the Ferraris did not and that made all the difference. This was a great opportunity for McLaren to come equal to the Red Bull, something which was unthinkable a few months ago. Now they are still 10 points behind and with 8 races to go. McLaren has to put their best if they want to win the championship.
Red Bull disaster at Monza
Red Bull had the third or fourth fastest car and it showed. Both Max and Checo qualified a lowly P7 and P8. From then it was just a recovery race with Max finishing P6 and Perez P8. While there is a big gap between Max and Lando, the Constructor’s battle is truly on and Red Bull literally needs to change the enitre car, according to Max.
Mercedes showed promise but it did not convert into race result. Lewis did a decent job to finish P5. George had a bad start and he finished P7. Albon drove decently to finish P9. Kevin Magnussen got the final point at P10 but he also got a one race ban for accruing too many penalty points.