Leclerc thrills the Tifosi with triumphant victory at Monza
MONZA, Italy — Charles Leclerc delivered a masterclass at the Italian Grand Prix, captivating the Tifosi with a daring one-stop strategy to secure an electrifying victory at Monza. The Monegasque driver clinched P1, finishing ahead of the McLarens in a race filled with strategic gambles and intense battles.
Leclerc, starting from pole, initially saw Lando Norris take the lead. However, Oscar Piastri swiftly moved past Norris into the second chicane on the opening lap and maintained his front-runner position for much of the race.
While many teams opted for a conventional two-stop strategy, Ferrari took a bold approach by choosing a one-stop strategy for Leclerc and his teammate Carlos Sainz. This gamble saw the Ferrari duo leading in the late stages.
Birthday celebrant Sainz struggled to maintain his position due to the wear on his tyres. Both Piastri and Norris overtook him, securing second and third places respectively. Leclerc, however, managed to fend off the competition, crossing the finish line 2.6 seconds ahead of Piastri for an emotional home victory for Ferrari.
Norris not only achieved a podium finish but also set the fastest lap, gaining an extra championship point. Despite his strong performance, Norris was slightly disappointed, hoping for a stronger boost to his title ambitions. Sainz settled for fourth, while Lewis Hamilton, racing his final Monza Grand Prix before his impending move to Ferrari, finished fifth for Mercedes.
Max Verstappen completed the race in sixth, improving by one position from his starting grid slot. The Dutchman managed to keep George Russell's Mercedes at bay, with Russell finishing seventh. Sergio Perez added three points to Red Bull's tally with an eighth-place finish.
Alex Albon secured a positive result for Williams by taking ninth place, while Kevin Magnussen completed the top ten for Haas despite both Haas drivers having received time penalties for separate incidents.
Fernando Alonso narrowly missed the top ten, finishing eleventh for Aston Martin. On his F1 debut, Franco Colapinto achieved a respectable twelfth place for Williams. Daniel Ricciardo crossed the line in thirteenth, having incurred two early-race penalties.
Esteban Ocon was the leading Alpine driver, finishing in fourteenth place ahead of teammate Pierre Gasly, who took fifteenth. Valtteri Bottas followed for Kick Sauber in sixteenth place.
Nico Hulkenberg ended the race in seventeenth for Haas, Zhou Guanyu took eighteenth for Kick Sauber, and Lance Stroll was the last classified runner in nineteenth for Aston Martin.
Yuki Tsunoda was the race's sole retiree after a collision with Hulkenberg forced him to retire his RB.
Leclerc's victory at Monza stands as a testament to both his skill and Ferrari's daring strategy, thrilling the passionate Italian crowd in what was an unforgettable race weekend.
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