2024 F1 Italian GP review: Charles Leclerc and Ferrari set Monza ablaze with a daring triumph. Ferrari invested in and believed in the low-downforce aerodynamic package.

What more could we ask for? Nothing. Charles Leclerc’s triumph at the Monza circuit is one of those joys that unite Italy and Ferrari fans, making us forget many of the disappointments from the last few years, with the hope of returning to constantly fight for podium and race wins as today, symbolized by Ferrari’s unparalleled technology. A magic that blends with a strong popular sentiment like nowhere else on the planet because, for us, Ferrari is not just a sport but also culture, tradition, and passion.

All this enthusiasm would never have erupted if the red car at Monza hadn’t been driven by an exceptional driver like Charles Leclerc, who until yesterday was known for his exaggerated propensity for risk but not for the technical skills to complete 53 intense laps without making a single mistake, without any slip-ups, and without putting undue strain on the tires. The secret of his victory lies precisely in this sense of moderation, which allowed him to maintain the lead in the last 15 laps despite making only one tire stop, compared to the two stops made by those chasing him down, like the outstanding Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, in this particular case.

A Ferrari that puts less strain on its tires compared to the competition is a recent development that makes risky but rewarding strategies like the one at Monza feasible. We had said before the race that Ferrari, not being involved in the fight for the two Formula 1 world titles, had less to lose compared to its direct rivals. And that’s how it was. Risk-taking is in Ferrari’s DNA. Enzo Ferrari used to say that a victory in the Italian Grand Prix could make up for the disappointment of losing a world championship. The enthusiasm of the Monza crowd confirms this. The important thing is to keep up the same pace on the upcoming tracks, where the benefits generated by the recent modifications can be better exploited.

Charles Leclerc, first on the streets of Monte Carlo in Monaco and now in the Italian Grand Prix, has already salvaged his season, but more importantly, he has sent a message to the Maranello team. While waiting for Lewis Hamilton, who arrives with very clear leadership ambitions, Charles Leclerc has shown that he will be a formidable rival, and moreover, one loved by the Ferrari public.

Lando Norris’s third place, as talented and fast as he is, reveals a driver more fragile in nerves than in driving skills. This allows the Englishman to close the gap to 62 points aginst Max Verstappen in the 2024 Formula 1 championship, as the Dutchman finishes sixth at Monza with an unrecognizable and mysterious Red Bull RB20, but to everyone’s great surprise, McLaren did not favor him in their strategies, which weighs more heavily on him than the defeat itself. Oscar Piastri, with a decisive overtaking maneuver at the second chicane, passed Lando Norris with ease, driving an exceptional race, but against the Ferrari – Charles Leclerc duo, he had to settle for second place. “It hurts,” said the Australian, while Charles, just a few meters away, was smiling. A moment to remember, because it doesn’t happen often.

The Italian side gambled on a single stop during the 53 laps of the race, and the Monegasque driver delivered a special victory for the Ferrari fans, repeating his 2019 triumph. Charles was perfect, completing 38 laps on the hard tires without the car suffering from tire issues, allowing the SF-24 to achieve a historic drive that will be etched in the Scuderia’s history.

Ferrari invested in and believed in the low-downforce aerodynamic package: it’s true, there was also the new anti-porpoising floor that worked, but the Monza victory, the third of the season, is the result of having faith in a car with less drag on the long straights.

Charles Leclerc struggled a bit in qualifying, but in the race, he was a master at perfectly managing a Ferrari that made tire management its strength. At the temple of speed, it wasn’t about downforce, but efficiency, and Charles was fantastic in maneuvering through the chicanes without wearing out the tires. On the straight, the Ferrari showed its superiority: this might not be the case on other tracks still on the 2024 Formula 1 calendar, but at home, we saw a ruthless Ferrari, capable of extracting everything from the SF-24, executing a perfect plan with cold precision.

It became clear that it could be a triumphant day right after the start when the Monegasque driver managed to complete the first lap in second place, passing Lando Norris at the Roggia chicane, who was thrown into confusion by the fierce attack from Oscar Piastri. The Englishman, who started from pole, found himself in third place after just three corners. He almost spun out exiting the chicane, and Charles Leclerc slipped past him, even putting a wheel off the track.

It seemed like Oscar Piastri’s race, but the young Australian pushed hard, setting the fastest lap for eight consecutive laps, fearing a comeback from Lando Norris (who set the fastest lap on the final lap with a 1.21.432), and McLaren encountered graining earlier than expected. A mistake by Norris prompted the Woking team to bring him in for the first pit stop on lap 14, forcing Ferrari to respond but not to follow McLaren’s strategy.

On paper, at least initially, it was supposed to be a tactical race, but it quickly turned into a breathless sprint. McLaren had planned for a two-stop race and stuck to their original plan, although Oscar was asked if he felt comfortable taking the risk of switching to a single stop, but Piastri didn’t want to risk it, fearing graining. Despite a perfect performance, he settled for second place because Ferrari ruthlessly executed their plan, taking the risk of being left without tires.

Charles Leclerc proved to be an outstanding driver: he is now one of those who knows how to manage tires perfectly, with a light touch on the accelerator, maintaining a pace that showed no signs of predictable drop-off. This Charles shows a new level of maturity for the Monegasque driver.

Monza changes the identity of the championship because McLaren is now chasing Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship, as the gap has decreased to just 8 points, but it seems that the Scuderia is also back in the title fight, as Ferrari, with this victory and Carlos Sainz‘s fourth place in the Italian Grand Prix, is now only 39 points behind the RB20. A situation that was unthinkable until last Sunday. Ferrari won, and McLaren lost. Piastri shattered Norris’s confidence with an overtake that demonstrated there was no team order within Andrea Stella’s team, but this will complicate managing the two drivers who are now starting to clash. The MCL38 was the fastest car, but once again, McLaren failed to capitalize on its potential.

Carlos Sainz missed out on the podium but delivered a solid performance. The Spaniard, who finished fourth, tried to defend against Lando Norris’s comeback but had to reduce his pace to avoid the second pit stop, which would have ruined his performance. He did his part until the end, unable to fend off the McLaren cars, who had the advantage of medium tires in the final stages.

Mercedes was never in the race: Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, while George Russell took himself out of contention with a mistake at the first chicane. The weekend will be remembered more for the debut and crash of Kimi Antonelli than for the performance of the silver arrows, which were underwhelmed by the pace at Monza: Lewis Hamilton’s fifth place and George Russell’s seventh are not results in line with the expectations of Toto Wolff’s team.

Seeing Red Bull as the fourth strongest team gives pause for thought, but the performance collapse is evident to everyone. Verstappen, over the radio, urged the technicians back home to get back to work: Max is unable to make a significant difference over Sergio Perez, who finished eighth; they also reduced some power from the Honda engine due to a reliability warning. It’s a sign that something isn’t working in the system that Christian Horner is trying to keep together despite the increasingly visible cracks.

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