Verstappen wins in Monza ahead of Leclerc and Russell although crossing the finish line under the ‘safety car’. Sainz, fourth after a great comeback and abandonment of Alonso.
Between a thunderous whistle, in the wake of the safety car, Max Verstappen received the checkered flag at Monza. With the suppressed euphoria of someone who already knows the champion, he reached the podium, while charles leclerc he was still chewing on his disappointment with the race director and Ferrari’s strategy. They had come by the thousands tifosi to the finish line, with the Cavallino insignia and the red smoke from its flares. Deprived of emotion, of that final lap that could have changed everything, they hurled their insults at the FIA and silenced the strains of the Dutch anthem with shouts of encouragement for Leclerc. However, overflowing passions do not win World Cups.
The titles come with the effectiveness of the Red Bull strategists, owners of the board again, and with the hands of Verstappen, who is used as a criminal or as a surgeon. He mercilessly came back from sixth place on the grid, including a spectacular overtaking of Daniel Ricciardo in the Rettifilo Variation, and without a hesitation he held the lead when Leclerc tried to put pressure on him. In vain. His five-fight win streak is the best evidence of his superiority. And worse still: the World Cup threatens to be resolved by a scandalous margin.
Part of the responsibility must be attributed to Ferrari, which let the pole de Leclerc with a controversial decision, triggered by the broken engine of Sebastian Vettel. While removing the Aston Martin from the Ascari Variation, the Monegasque was called to boxes. There were 41 laps remaining and the engineers from Mattia Binotto they opted for a set of medium tires. As the stewards restarted the race earlier than expected, Leclerc did not have much time to gain an advantage and even had to push hard to start a few meters ahead of Ricciardo.
Prez, fuming
Seeking the reverse strategy, Red Bull left Verstappen on track and still waited until lap 25 to mount the soft. Mad Max He rejoined 10 seconds behind Leclerc’s lead, but he already sat down with the winning trick. The pace of the RB18 in the long runs, as has been pointed out since Friday, was inaccessible to Ferrari. And not even Carlos Sainzwith his outbursts of caste, could break the trend.
The Madrilenian had started third from last and only a few centimeters avoided an early accident with sergio prez. But after 10 laps, getting rid of the Alpines with insulting smugness, he was already running seventh. Of course there were reasons to consider him a contender for the podium against opponents of the stature of the Mexican, who with red-hot brakes, had come out of the pits with his right front tire on fire.
Everything and more put Carlos on his side, as if driven by a fantasy, squeezing the medium tires, until he ran into George Russell. The day that Ferrari more than fulfilled the pit stop, Mercedes opposed a fierce pace, also unapproachable for Sainz during his relay with the soft tires. The final fourth place, behind the British, can never leave him happy. He didn’t even do it on the day he made up 14 positions, including a wonderful move against Prez.
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Double disappointment for Alonso.
Step back from Alpine and debacle at Aston Martin
MIGUEL A. HERGUEDAS
Monza
Step back from Alpine and debacle at Aston Martin
Even worse march on Sunday for Fernando Alonsoseventh on that grid mess, determined to follow the rear wing of lando norris. But the A522 looked soulless, without any power for attack. Even to hold your breath. In fact, after crossing the equator, the two-time champion began to ask about a problem with the electrical supply. By then the performance of his car was more like the Haas of Mike Schumacher than Ricciardo’s McLaren.
On lap 32 Alonso’s streak of 10 consecutive races in the points ended, which will become very difficult again in three weeks in Singapore, given the foreseeable sanction for renewing the power unit. They should reflect on something in Alpine if Stephen Ocon finished eleventh, behind Guanyu Zhou and the debutant Nyck de Vrieselected pilot of the day by the fans.
They should also contain in Ferrari their expectations with Leclerc, devoured by Verstappen in his own lair. When Max’s progression was deemed untenable, the team he was forced to a second stop on lap 34. With another 20 to go, the Monegasque had to scrape off a second per lap. Unimaginable for anyone.
However, on lap 48, Ricciardo’s breakdown made those who occupied the tiny grandstand between the Lesmo corners wince. They climbed into the trees, clung to the back of the grandstand, and prayed to the heavens for the crane’s speed. It was necessary to withdraw, almost at any price, that McLaren from the line. The last trick was the relaunched start. But there was no human form. Even those honors of fortune adorn the champion’s toga each week.