Charles Leclerc delivers for Ferrari at Monza, Verstappen P1 in GFT Rankings, but lead narrows

1 September 2024
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

MONZA, ITALY — Like a Hollywood movie script, Charles Leclerc beat back challenges from the rival McLarens for an emotional home win for Ferrari at Monza. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri put their McLaren’s on the front row during qualifying with Norris on earning pole position, but both fell victim to Ferrari’s one-stop strategy as Leclerc took the lead and never relented. World Champion Max Verstappen qualified P7 and was clearly frustrated with the lack of performance and pace his Red Bull Racing car could deliver. Verstappen would finish 6th, narrowing his lead in the World Championship Driver’s points to 62 over Lando Norris.

Charles Leclerc delivered a stunning victory at the Italian Grand Prix after utilizing a bold one-stop strategy to hold onto the lead ahead of the McLarens. (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Go Full Throttle Formula 1 AI Driver Rankings following the 2024 Italian Grand Prix on September 1, 2024 at Autodromo Nazionale Monza (Image Credit: GFT Digital)

How it happened:
Starting from pole position, Lando Norris initially led the race, but Oscar Piastri soon took over. However, Ferrari’s risky decision to opt for a one-stop strategy for Leclerc and Carlos Sainz paid off, with Leclerc holding onto the lead to the win.

Despite the high tire degradation, Leclerc managed to stay ahead of the McLarens, crossing the finish line 2.6 seconds ahead of Piastri. Norris, who set the fastest lap, finished third, while Sainz, celebrating his 30th birthday, had to settle for fourth. Lewis Hamilton, in his last Monza race before joining Ferrari next year, finished P5.

Max Verstappen, who started from a lower grid position, managed to climb to sixth, ahead of George Russell and Sergio Perez. Williams’ Alex Albon and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top ten, despite both Haas drivers receiving time penalties.

Leclerc held off the challenge from McLaren to take a popular victory amongst Ferrari’s fans at the team’s home track (Image Credit: formula1.com)

The race was marked by several incidents, including a collision between Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg, which led to penalties for both drivers. Yuki Tsunoda was the sole retiree after a collision with Hulkenberg.

Leclerc’s victory was emotional for he and the huge crowd of Ferrari fans who flooded the course to celebrate.

@Charles_Leclerc (via X) Sep 1, Siete i numeri 1 Forza Ferrari

The next race on the F1 calendar is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, scheduled for September 13–15.