The week of the Italian Grand Prix is the most chaotic, demanding, and emotional of the entire year for Ferrari. The media events and the expectations of thousands of fans add extra weight to the shoulders of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who are already dealing with the challenges of their cars. At the same time, however, it’s the warmth and passion shown by the fans that drive them to give their all, as well as to stop every time for a photo or an autograph.
This weekend also brings back special memories for the Monegasque driver, who won his second career race here, making him almost a deity in the eyes of the Tifosi. It will be difficult to replicate that success in 2024, but the driver certainly isn’t backing down. “The Italian Grand Prix is extra motivation because this race has an added sentimental value, as we race close to home and in front of our fans. There’s also anticipation because we usually bring car updates specific to the track, and we’re eager to see how they’ll work. Having won in 2019, we all want to repeat that,” Charles Leclerc explained in a recent interview for the Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The team arriving as the favorite is McLaren, which has already done very well in recent years. With the latest updates, it has become the car to beat. Ferrari is also focusing everything on the Monza track, where it will debut several new features. In the simulator, they are promising, but it’s well known that reality is another story: “I’ve tried the updates, and I’m sure they represent a step forward. But we need to understand if we’ll be missing one or two tenths or nine tenths in qualifying like at Zandvoort. Friday at Monza will give us a clear picture. Of course, if the race situation is like it was in the Netherlands, where we were close, then a step forward could make a difference.”
The most anticipated weekend for all Ferrari fans is about to begin: with the usual Thursday media day, the curtain will officially rise on the Monza weekend. However, the atmosphere is already heating up, as demonstrated by the hundreds of fans who have gathered in front of the Ray-Ban store in Milan’s Piazza San Babila, waiting for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. After attending the now customary event, the Ferrari drivers gave an interview to Sky Sport F1.
The energy from the fans
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have been wearing the red suit for six and four years, respectively, but as their words show, they never get used to the affection from the fans: “The feeling,” says the Monegasque, “that we experience every time we come to Italy for the Monza Grand Prix is something incredible. Receiving all this affection really energizes us, and we can’t wait to get on track.”
The Spaniard echoed him: “This only happens with Ferrari; it’s something very special. As Charles said, it motivates us but also the entire team, from the mechanics to the engineers. We really want to do well for all the people who will be cheering for us; we’ll give it our all.”
Before fully diving into the three days at Monza, they reflected on the past weekend in the Netherlands, where Ferrari left with a smile thanks to Charles Leclerc’s “miracle”: “Sunday’s performance was definitely positive, but we immediately tried to find explanations for why Saturday was so negative. By analyzing the data, we were able to understand what we need to do to repeat that kind of performance more often.” – he pointed out.
Crucial, along with strategy, was the Monegasque driver’s defense against Oscar Piastri’s attacks: “I tried to look ahead and not too much in the mirrors, focusing solely on driving. The conditions were not easy, as there was a lot of wind that made the car unstable. Having Oscar in the DRS zone added extra pressure, but it’s still an aspect that’s part of this job.” – he concluded.
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