In an Italian Grand Prix that turned out to be rather eventful, Daniel Ricciardo won his first race since 2018 – and his first for McLaren – with Lando Norris bringing home a surprise 1-2. Their chances were boosted after a collision between title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at turn one and two, which saw the Red Bull on top of the Mercedes and leaving both drivers out of the race – an incident that has once again split opinion. As it always does.
At lights out, Ricciardo beat Verstappen to turn one and managed to maintain that position throughout the first stint. In usual Monza fashion, Verstappen remained stuck behind the McLaren driver. Hamilton started the race on the hard tyres and managed to jump Norris at the start, before coming close with Verstappen at turn four which saw the Mercedes driver go wide and lose the position to the McLaren. Ricciardo would pit before Verstappen, a move which would see Red Bull respond the next lap. However, a problem during the stop would see the Dutchman lose 11 seconds, dropping him behind Norris and Hamilton.
Hamilton would pit just a couple laps later, and would meet Norris and Verstappen heading into turn one. Verstappen would see an opportunity to go around the outside of his rival, which he attempted. Hamilton, obviously, was not going to have this and squeezed the Red Bull. Verstappen was never going to back out, clouting the big and unnecessary orange sausage kerb, pushing his car into the Mercedes. His rear wheel mounted onto Hamilton’s, hopping the Red Bull over the top – both drivers out of the race. Of course, this split opinion. After a stewards review, Verstappen has been slapped with a three-place grid penalty for the next Grand Prix after being deemed to be ‘predominately at fault’, whilst being awarded two penalty points. The Halo came to good affect as it prevented harm to Hamilton after the rear wheel of the Red Bull touched the head of the British driver.
It is the two of the best drivers in the world competing for the crowd at the pinnacle of motorsport, sometimes it happens. Arguably, the clash does not happen if the sausage kerb was not there, why is it there anyway?
Although this incident helped McLaren, both cars were already running ahead of the two title antagonists at the time of the clash. It was not handed to them.
This incident and subsequent safety car woke the race up, with McLaren now licking their lips. As Ricciardo would hold his nerve, Norris would bravely make his way past the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc as the two duelled for second, a duel which saw Norris on top. With a McLaren 1-2 on the books, Norris showed his teamwork trait by confirming he will not attack his teammate for the lead – after calling for the Aussie to up his pace. It worked, McLaren achieved the first win since Brazil 2012, and their first 1-2 finish since Canada 2010.
Despite crossing the line in third, Sergio Perez would be penalised five seconds after an illegal pass on Leclerc at the turn four and five chicane. Just like the Sprint Race a day before, Perez did not give the place back as he should have and it ended up costing him a podium.
The penalty for the Mexican meant Valtteri Bottas was rewarded with a podium after coming from the back of the grid. For a moment after the safety car, Bottas looked like a strong favourite to win after fitting a set of medium tyres on, compared to all the runners around him on hards. After a burst of pace saw him up to fourth, Bottas’ progress would go no further. It looked as if the Finn would achieve the fastest lap point, until Ricciardo amazingly one upped him on the final lap to claim as the Aussie took home all 26 points.
If there was a result that Ferrari did not want considering their championship position, it was a McLaren 1-2. However, the Italian team had a much more enjoyable experience this year at Monza compared to the last. Leclerc found himself in second on the restart, but was unable to maintain that position as the two Ferrari cars would run behind the other for the majority of the race. Perez’s penalty meant he would be in a Ferrari sandwich with Leclerc in fourth and Carlos Sainz in sixth.
Sainz was fortunate to escape damage after a tangle with the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi on the opening lap which left the Italian driver without a front wing.
Lance Stroll secured seventh place and his best result of the season. The Canadian came close with his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, on the opening lap with Vettel suffering slight damage to the front wing, demoting him a number of positions. It did not end there for the German after a clash with Esteban Ocon at turn four which was very familiar to the Leclerc/Hamilton clash in 2019. This time round, Ocon was penalised and would finish in the final points paying position in 10th. Vettel would finish outside of the points in 12th.
Fernando Alonso was left frustrated after he believed Stroll failed to slow down for yellow flags, gaining an advantage. Alonso found himself smack bang in the middle of the midfield battle, but was unable to get close enough to the Aston Martin of Stroll to make a move and came home in ninth.
George Russell secured another points finish for Williams with ninth, with teammate Nicholas Latifi just missing out on a double points finish for the team by three seconds in 11th.
Giovinazzi’s race for points was effectively done after the opening lap with his clash with one of the Ferrari’s. The early pit stop for a new front wing would leave the Italian fighting from the back for the rest of the race, pipping his teammate, Robert Kubica, to 13th at the end.
As per, Haas had a lonely race with their drivers once again tripping over themselves. After the restart, Nikita Mazepin would tag the rear end of Mick Schumacher, sending him into a spin. Mazepin’s race would not last much longer after an issue caused his Haas to grind to a halt at the exit of the Ascari corner. Schumacher would finish a long way away in 15th.
However, it was a worse day for the AlphaTauri team who saw both their cars out before the race really got going. Yuki Tsunoda experienced a terminal problem with his car on the grid, leaving him unable to take the start. To add insult to injury, Pierre Gasly would experience a problem on his reconnaissance lap to the grid as the Frenchman returned to the garage after reporting a stuck throttle. You’d think it could not get worse for Gasly after his opening lap exit from the Sprint Race which left his AlphaTauri in need of a rebuild. Yet, it did as Gasly was slow on the opening lap, leaving him to nurse his ill car back into the pits to retire.
Gap still five points at the top
Heading into the Russia, the gap at the top of the driver’s standings remains at five points after the incident between Verstappen and Hamilton. Of course, this was yet another clash which saw opinions galore but there will continue to be twists in this title race. With Verstappen’s grid penalty for the clash, could Red Bull decide to take his upcoming engine penalty next time out?
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