Hello, welcome back, this week we will be looking at the Monza Circuit.
I do not know how about you, but there is something about Monza for me. As a big Ferrari fan this is one of the most important and biggest race of the whole season! Many of those who were lucky enough to be able to go to Monza experienced so much thrill, especially this year. Every time Ferrari wins Tifosi´s go crazy around here. Ferrari is here worshipped like a God. So let´s dive into one of the most interesting and historic circuit.
Circuit Monza:
Monza, one of F1's oldest circuits, has hosted races since 1922. Known for its incredible speed, the 5.8 km track sees drivers hitting top speed for three-quarters of the lap, with challenging chicanes and the iconic Parabolica corner. Ferrari shines here, but the Italian Grand Prix remains thrilling and unpredictable.
Names of Corners:
Monza boasts 11 corners, fewer than most F1 tracks, emphasizing high speeds. Notable corners include Variante del Rettifilo, Curva Grande, Variante della Roggia, Curve di Lesmo, Variante Ascari, and the iconic Curva Parabolica.
Stands at Monza:
With a capacity of around 120,000, Monza offers grandstands strategically placed along the action-packed sections. There are grandstands on the main straight, near chicanes, and the introduction to the Parabolica. General Admission areas allow flexibility in choosing your viewing spot.
Getting to Monza Circuit:
Access Monza via the city's main train station, where shuttle buses run during the Italian Grand Prix. Avoid walking from Monza's center as it's too far. Monza is an hour's drive from Milan, making it possible to combine a city trip with the GP. Taking a train from Milan to Monza is the best option.
What to Expect:
Monza offers more than just racing. It has a festival-like atmosphere with food stalls, merchandise, simulators, and even a chance to test your pit stop skills. DJs add to the pre and post-race excitement, making it a full weekend experience.
Weather Forecast:
The Italian Grand Prix usually takes place in September, during Italy's summer. While the weather is generally pleasant, it's wise to check the forecast to avoid surprises.
If you are fan of F1 you have to experience the thrill of Monza, the Temple of Speed, and witness the magic of the Italian Grand Prix.
Now let´s look into the race of 2023:
Max Verstappen Triumphs in Monza Grand Prix Duel Against Ferraris
Qualifying went perfectly for Ferrari drivers. Charles went for P3, RedBull's Max was P2 and Carlos has won the P1 start for Sunday's race.
On race day, in a scintillating showdown at the legendary Monza Circuit, Max Verstappen and Red Bull emerged victorious in the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, etching their names deeper into Formula 1 history. This thrilling race saw Verstappen secure his 10th consecutive win, surpassing Sebastian Vettel's record, and Red Bull extend their winning streak to an astonishing 15 races.
The drama began as the lights went out, with Verstappen slotting in behind pole-sitter Carlos Sainz. From the outset, Verstappen relentlessly pursued Sainz, pressuring him throughout the opening stint. On Lap 15, the pivotal moment arrived when Sainz made a crucial error at the first chicane, allowing Verstappen to execute a breathtaking overtake around the outside of the Curva Grande.
Once in the lead, the reigning double world champion never looked back, steadily building a comfortable advantage. Behind him, Sainz, Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, and the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc engaged in a fierce battle for the remaining podium positions.
After a nail-biting finale and some stout defense from Sainz, it was Perez who ultimately claimed second place, sealing Red Bull's sixth one-two finish of the season. The team's performance served as a resounding response to Ferrari on their home turf.
Sainz and Leclerc thrilled the fans as they battled tooth and nail for third place, with a dramatic lock-up by Leclerc into the first chicane on the final lap ultimately handing the position to his teammate.
Meanwhile, Mercedes secured a solid double points finish, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing in fifth and sixth places, respectively, despite both drivers incurring five-second time penalties during the race.
Alex Albon added to Williams' points tally with a seventh-place finish, while McLaren's Lando Norris challenged him fiercely in a race to the finish line. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) rounded out the top 10.
Liam Lawson narrowly missed out on points in his second appearance for AlphaTauri, while McLaren's Oscar Piastri finished in 12th place after being penalized for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during a clash with Lewis Hamilton.
Logan Sargeant, the Williams rookie, had a challenging race, finishing 13th after a collision with Bottas and a subsequent time penalty. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) completed the midfield positions.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll had a quiet afternoon following a back-of-the-grid start, finishing in 16th place, with the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen struggling further down the field.
Two drivers failed to complete the race, with Esteban Ocon retiring late on in the second Alpine, and Yuki Tsunoda suffering an engine failure on the formation lap, preventing him from even starting the race.
High-Stakes Duel at the Temple of Speed
The Monza Circuit, known as the "Temple of Speed," played host to a high-stakes battle for supremacy during the 2023 Italian Grand Prix. The drama began during Saturday's qualifying session when Carlos Sainz clinched his first pole position of the season, delighting the fervent tifosi who lined the iconic track. Sainz edged out championship leader Max Verstappen and his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in a sensational climax to qualifying.
As the home fans hoped for a Ferrari victory, all eyes were on the front of the grid to see if the Scuderia could deny Verstappen's bid for a historic 10th consecutive win and put an end to Red Bull's unbeaten streak.
Shortly before the race began, it was revealed that the majority of the field would start on the medium compound tires, with only Hamilton, Bottas, and Magnussen opting for the harder hards. Pirelli forecasted a one-stop strategy as the quickest approach for the 53-lap race.
Drama unfolded on the formation lap when Yuki Tsunoda's AlphaTauri experienced an engine failure, prompting a delay in the race start. After a second reconnaissance lap, the race finally got underway, albeit with a reduced lap count of 51.
Despite the added complexity caused by the aborted start procedure and the drivers contending with higher fuel loads and tires yet to reach their optimal performance, the opening lap proceeded without major incidents.
Verstappen gradually closed the gap to Sainz, using DRS down the straights to apply relentless pressure. On Lap 6, he made a daring attempt to take the lead around the outside of the first chicane, narrowly avoiding contact. Verstappen's radio comment of "That was naughty" highlighted the intensity of the battle.
As the race progressed, Sainz's defensive efforts couldn't deter Verstappen, who continued to close in. On Lap 15, Verstappen's persistence paid off as Sainz locked up heavily into Turn 1, ultimately relinquishing the lead at the second chicane after a thrilling side-by-side duel through the Curva Grande.
Verstappen's successful maneuver prompted the first round of pit stops. Albon was the first among the leading group to pit for hard tires, with Perez overtaking Russell after an earlier failed attempt saw him run wide at the first chicane.
Sainz's Struggle and Perez's Charge
Following his loss of the lead to Verstappen and struggling with tire degradation, Sainz began to fall into the clutches of his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc. Leclerc radioed the Ferrari pit wall to report that "Carlos is struggling a little bit with the rears."
On Lap 20, Ferrari decided to bring Sainz in for a pit stop to minimize the damage. Albon, who had pitted earlier, showcased the potential of his fresh hard tires by posting impressive lap times.
One lap later, Verstappen and Leclerc responded with their own pit stops. Perez, the McLarens, and Hamilton remained on track, yet to make their stops. Perez briefly led the race before pitting, rejoining the track just behind the battling Ferraris. The McLarens also made their pit stops, with Norris gaining the upper hand over Piastri through a daring move at the first chicane.
Amid the action, race stewards took note of an incident involving Russell and Ocon, leading to Russell receiving a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage as he bypassed the first chicane.
Hamilton, the only front-runner yet to pit, made way for Verstappen, who breezed past on Lap 25 with the assistance of DRS. This move left Sainz, Leclerc, and Perez in pursuit, as Hamilton finally made his pit stop on Lap 28, rejoining at the rear of the points positions.
While Verstappen extended his lead up front, the battle between the Ferraris and Perez intensified. The Mexican driver relentlessly pressured Leclerc and even ventured onto the grass at the second chicane in his pursuit. The Red Bull pit wall encouraged Perez, noting that he was faster and urging him to make the move on Leclerc.
Inside Sainz's cockpit, concern grew as he reported that it would be a tight race to the finish on his aging tires. This comment highlighted the tension, as Perez closed in on the Ferrari driver.
Late Drama and Hamilton's Charge
Further back in the field, Russell maintained a lonely fifth place, while Albon defended fiercely to keep Norris at bay in sixth. Albon's staunch defense at the first chicane drew the ire of Norris, who was less than pleased with the Williams driver's tactics.
Just behind Albon, Norris and Piastri engaged in their own battle. On Lap 41, Hamilton, running in eighth place, attempted a pass on Piastri at the second chicane. Unfortunately, contact between the two drivers led to both cars running off track. Piastri, the Australian rookie, criticized Hamilton over the radio, leading to a pit stop for a new front wing and a drop out of the points.
Hamilton, still in eighth place, received a five-second penalty from the stewards, opening the door for ninth-placed Alonso. Meanwhile, Bottas and Sargeant fought over the final points-paying position, with the latter also penalized for causing a collision.
At the front of the pack, Perez grew frustrated with Sainz's determined defense. The Mexican driver struggled to make a pass stick, occasionally running wide at the first chicane. Over the radio, Perez exclaimed, "He's not leaving any room, man. Come on, we can't race like this."
Verstappen Makes History
On Lap 46, Perez finally found a way past Sainz, securing second place and leaving the Ferraris to battle for the final podium position. Leclerc briefly surged ahead of his teammate at the first chicane but ultimately fell back behind at the second chicane, narrowly avoiding contact.
Despite Hamilton's earlier concerns about tire wear, he successfully overtook both Norris and Albon in quick succession, climbing to sixth place. He then embarked on a qualifying-style push to the finish, aiming to build a five-second buffer due to his impending penalty.
At the head of the field, Verstappen maintained control and sealed the victory, breaking Vettel's record with his 10th consecutive win. This victory also extended his lead in the drivers' standings over teammate Perez.
Leclerc made one final attempt to challenge Sainz on the last lap but locked up heavily into the first chicane, allowing his teammate to secure the third position. Ferrari's podium finish and strong points haul provided a reason for the home fans to celebrate.
Russell and Hamilton crossed the finish line in distant fifth and sixth positions, with Albon narrowly outpacing Norris for seventh. Alonso earned two points for Aston Martin in ninth place, and Bottas claimed the final top 10 position.
In a late-race skirmish, Lawson and Piastri fought for 11th place, ultimately decided when Piastri received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Sargeant, the Williams rookie, finished in 13th place.
Zhou, Gasly, and Stroll were the final drivers on the lead lap, while Hulkenberg and Magnussen were among the midfield runners who struggled with tire degradation, necessitating two sets of fresh tires for Haas.
Ocon brought his Alpine into the pits late in the race due to a technical problem, while Tsunoda's AlphaTauri retired before the race began following an engine failure during the formation lap.
With the Italian Grand Prix providing yet another thrilling chapter in the 2023 Formula 1 season, the championship now enters the final 'flyaway' sequence, with Verstappen leading the drivers' standings by 145 points, and Red Bull holding a commanding 310-point lead over their closest rivals, Mercedes, in the constructors' championship.
Race Results
1. Max Verstappen (RED BULL RACING HONDA RBPT) - 51 laps in 1:13:41.143 (25 points)
2. Sergio Perez (RED BULL RACING HONDA RBPT) - 51 laps, +6.064 seconds (18 points)
3. Carlos Sainz (FERRARI) - 51 laps, +11.193 seconds (15 points)
4. Charles Leclerc (FERRARI) - 51 laps, +11.377 seconds (12 points)
5. George Russell (MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +23.028 seconds (10 points)
6. Lewis Hamilton (MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +42.679 seconds (8 points)
7. Alexander Albon (WILLIAMS MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +45.106 seconds (6 points)
8. Lando Norris (MCLAREN MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +45.449 seconds (4 points)
9. Fernando Alonso (ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +46.294 seconds (2 points)
10. Valtteri Bottas (ALFA ROMEO FERRARI) - 51 laps, +64.056 seconds (1 point)
11. Liam Lawson (ALPHATAURI HONDA RBPT) - 51 laps, +70.638 seconds (0 points)
12. Oscar Piastri (MCLAREN MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +73.074 seconds (0 points)
13. Logan Sargeant (WILLIAMS MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +78.557 seconds (0 points)
14. Zhou Guanyu (ALFA ROMEO FERRARI) - 51 laps, +80.164 seconds (0 points)
15. Pierre Gasly (ALPINE RENAULT) - 51 laps, +82.510 seconds (0 points)
16. Lance Stroll (ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES) - 51 laps, +87.266 seconds (0 points)
17. Nico Hulkenberg (HAAS FERRARI) - 50 laps, +1 lap (0 points)
18. Kevin Magnussen (HAAS FERRARI) - 50 laps, +1 lap (0 points)
NC. Esteban Ocon (ALPINE RENAULT) - 39 laps, DNF (0 points)
NC. Yuki Tsunoda (ALPHATAURI HONDA RBPT) - 0 laps, DNS (0 points)
Perfect race and also Sainz P3 made Italian Tifosi go wild in the grid. All this love has me hoping that soon one day we will see both Ferrari drivers, Carlos and Charles, up there. I think if it happens it will be historic moment for Italy and people there. Let´s hope we can all be part of it!
Next up is Singapore, see you there.
Natalie Kika
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