Contract renewals/extensions continue to be announced, but the main update is that HAD will sit out the Monza weekend making it two races he’s missed due to his hand injury, so LAW will take the Red Bull seat and TSU will be in the second RB team (Racing Bull), same as in the Netherlands two weeks ago.
Ferrari are honouring Michael Schumacher with a special colour scheme and race suits.
A “heat hazard” has been declared for this weekend as “the Official Weather Service predicting that the Heat Index will be greater than 31.0°C at some time during the Race”; any drivers not using the special cooling gear will have the equivalent ballast added to their car.
Free Practice
- FP1: LEC (1:23.008), HAM, RUS, LAW, ANT
ANT’s Mercedes has multiple new power unit components, resulting in a 30 grid place penalty, so he will start the race from the back of the grid
ALB “only” received a 20 place penalty for two new PU elements on his Williams
Four rookies got a chance to run at the Temple of Speed: Aron (Alpine), Browning (Williams), Herta (Cadillac), and Iwasa (Red Bull)
HAM ran wide in Turn 4 and cut T5
ANT, NOR and SAI created a train that cut Turn 1
RUS touched the gravel trap in T5, and ALO did the same in T6
Herta was told to park the Cadillac but it was stuck in gear and couldn’t be pushed away, so FP1 was suspended while they used a crane to remove it
Aron proved to be a mobile chicane, annoying Iwasa and TSU - FP2: RUS (1:22.559), LEC, ANT, NOR, HAM
LEC spun out of Turn 5, then turned it back around and carried on
A few drivers locked up into Turn 1 and had to avoid the boards in the run-off road
STR moved right into NOR’s braking line, causing the McLaren to take to the grass
VER complained about balance, and changed front wing but that did make him any happier
COL ran wide in Turn 10, lost the rear end but manhandled his Alpine through the gravel and back onto the black stuff
BOR felt there was something wrong with his Audi’s engine; he was told to pit and that ended his session - FP3: RUS (1:22.219), HAM, VER, ANT, NOR
ALB reported a problem with his steering wheel, which greatly delayed him joining the track
ANT ran a little wide it Turn 11
HAM touched the gravel in Turn 7
VER locked up into Turn 1 and used the escape road
VER deliberately blocked HAM
LAW spun in Turn 2
Penalties
New power unit elements for ANT and ALB resulted in 30 and 20 grid place penalties respectively
Mercedes were fined €100 for ANT speeding (0.1km/h over the limit) in the pit lane in FP2
STR only received a warning for impeding NOR in FP2
The hearing for the CDS not working on Herta’s Cadillac has been postponed to allow time to collect more data
ALB was given a warning for failing to slow for double yellow flags in FP3
Red Bull made some PU changes on LAW’s car, earning him a 35 grid place penalty
Qualifying
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
GAS 1:22.612
Chequered flag; bottom 6 are HUL, ALB, BOT, ALO, STR, PER
HUL P14, OCO P17
OCO P15, TSU P17
ALB P18
STR P21
PER P20
BOT P19
Back of the grid: TSU, ALB, BOT, PER, ALO, STR
Qualifying session 2
VER 1:22.573
GAS 1:22.126
NOR 1:22.067
PIA 1:22.017
5mins left; bottom 6 are HAM, BEA, LAW, HUL, SAI, OCO
LAW was impeded by PIA, but the McLaren really had no option as he was at the entry to the chicane
Chequered flag; bottom 6 are HAM, BEA, LAW, HUL, SAI, OCO
HAM P10, BOR P11
BEA P12
OCO P16
BOR P11
HUL P13
Middle of the grid: BOR, BEA, HUL, LAW, SAI, OCO
Radio from LAW angry that his team “left me out to dry”
Qualifying session 3
RUS 1:21.929
NOR P2
PIA P2
Radio from RUS complaining of front locking and high-speed instability
ANT pits without setting a time because he was giving RUS a tow
Order after the first run: RUS, PIA, GAS, LEC, VER, NOR, LIN, HAM, COL, ANT
ANT P6
PIA locks up into Turn 1, so his final flying lap is done
Chequered flag; order is RUS, PIA, GAS, LEC, VER, ANT, NOR, LIN, HAM, COL
NOR P7
VER P5
RUS 1:21.846
HAM P5
GAS 1:21.786
Front of the grid: GAS, RUS, PIA, LEC, HAM, VER, ANT, COL, NOR, LIN
Provisional grid: GAS, RUS, PIA, LEC, HAM, VER, ANT*, COL, NOR, LIN, BOR, BEA, HUL, LAW*, SAI, OCO, TSU, ALB*, BOT, PER, ALO, STR
(*ANT, ALB and LAW have penalties for engine changes that mean they’ll start from the back of the grid)
Penalties
PIA has been given a 3-place grid penalty for impeding LAW
New power unit elements for ALO’s Aston Martin and LAW’s Red Bull means they’ll start from the pit lane
Race
Pit lane is open; drivers can make their way to the grid
Grid: GAS, RUS, LEC, HAM, VER, PIA, COL, NOR, LIN, BOR, BEA, HUL, SAI, OCO, TSU, BOT, PER, STR, ANT, ALB; ALO, LAW in the pit lane
Air temperature 32°C; track 56°C; humidity 38%
Does NOR have a problem with his brakes?
GAS leads everyone away on the formation lap
Quite a mix of tyre choices: GAS and RUS starting on medium compound tyres; LEC, HAM and VER on softs; PIA, COL, NOR and LIN on mediums; BOR, BEA softs; HUL mediums; SAI, OCO softs; TSU hards; BOT, PER, STR softs; ANT hards; ALB mediums; ALO hards; LAW mediums
GAS didn’t bunch up the pack enough so he’ll have a long wait for everyone to form up
01/53: LEC almost alongside RUS into Turn 1
LEC squeezes teammate HAM into the gravel
Radio from HAM complaining LEC pushed him off
HAM down to P10
02: RUS takes P1 from GAS
GAS and LEC fighting over P2
ANT is already up to P13
03: LEC off in the final turn, across the gravel and into the tyre wall
Yellow flag… Safety Car deployed
Red flag – race suspended
Cars return to the pit lane
LEC has been given the all-clear by the medical centre
Restart at 15:39 local time
Will they mostly be restarting on hard tyres?
Order: RUS, GAS, VER, COL, PIA, NOR, LIN, HAM, BEA, OCO, BOR, ANT, HUL, TSU, LAW, SAI, PER, ALB, BOT, STR, ALO; out: LEC
RUS leads them out of the pits, round to form the new grid
Almost everyone on hard tyres except: VER, HAM, BOR, ANT, TSU, BOT mediums; PER, ALO softs
05/53: Start aborted – TSU nearly stopped in the wrong spot, then moved to the right spot but still somewhat out of position
06: COL gets a good start, passes VER for P3
VER squeezes inside COL to reclaim P3
COL runs wide, across the gravel
LIN past NOR for P6
ANT is up to P8, and then passes LIN and NOR
07: RUS, GAS, VER, HAM, PIA, ANT, NOR, LIN, BEA, TSU
PIA all over HAM’s tail
VER takes P2 from GAS
08: NOR reclaims P6 but ANT fights back and comes out ahead
10/53: RUS, VER, GAS, HAM, PIA, ANT, NOR, LIN, TSU, BEA
HAM takes P3 from GAS into Turn 1
PIA past GAS too
11: VER closing on RUS
12: VER takes P1
PIA past HAM, and then ANT takes the Ferrari
13: VER, RUS, ANT, PIA, HAM, GAS, NOR, LIN, TSU, BEA
LAW pits; mediums go on; rejoins P21
15/53: VER, RUS, ANT, PIA, HAM, GAS, NOR, LIN, TSU, BEA, HUL, OCO, BOR, SAI, COL, ALB, PER, ALO, BOT, STR, LAW; out: LEC
RUS takes P1 from VER
16: HAM past PIA for P4
ANT around VER to take P2
Radio from VER, “the car is completely broken on the rear axle”
17: ANT closing on his teammate
18: ANT takes P1 into Turn 1
PIA harrying HAM for P4
19: PIA takes P4
20/53: ANT, RUS, VER, PIA, HAM, GAS, NOR, LIN, TSU, BEA
RUS takes P1 into Turn 1, but ANT reclaims the lead
21: The Mercedes duo have opened a 1.5sec gap over VER
22: RUS takes P1 into T1
ANT tucked right under RUS’ wing; around his teammate into the chicane
23: RUS takes P1 again
GAS and NOR squabble over P6; the McLaren stays ahead
24: RUS and ANT have both been told to stop the yoyo overtaking
ALO pits; retires
25/53: RUS, ANT, VER, PIA, HAM, NOR, GAS, LIN, TSU, BEA, BOR, COL, HUL, OCO, SAI, ALB, LAW, PER, BOT, STR; out: ALO, LEC
26: ANT brakes late and has to cut Turn 1
Half distance
28: Yellow flag – STR has pulled off in T2
VSC deployed
29[VSC]: ANT and VER pit; mediums and hards respectively; rejoin P6 and P7
VSC ending
30/53: RUS, PIA, HAM, NOR, GAS, ANT, VER, LIN, TSU, COL
Radio from RUS, concerned about “derating” (losing power)
ANT takes P5 from GAS
31: PER given 5sec penalty for failing to follow the race director’s instructions about escape roads
ANT past NOR for P4
VER past GAS for P6
32: RUS laps PER (P18)
VER takes P5 from NOR
35/53: RUS, PIA, HAM, ANT, VER, NOR, GAS, LIN, TSU, COL
HAM has to use the escape road in Turn 1, handing P3 to ANT
36: Radio from HAM, “this tyre is horrible, mate” – apparently he was complaining about the tyres before the VSC but Ferrari didn’t pit him
37: ANT takes P3 from PIA into Turn 1
VER past HAM for P4
RUS under investigation for a yellow flag infringement
39: VER inside NOR for P3
Radio from RUS asking if his lap times are good enough; he’s told ANT will probably catch him at the end of the race
40/53: RUS, ANT, VER, PIA, HAM, NOR, GAS, LIN, TSU, COL, BOR, BEA, ALB, HUL, SAI, LAW, OCO, PER, BOT; out: STR, ALO, LEC
No further action on RUS investigation
41: PIA close enough to nudge VER… and takes P3
COL takes P9 from TSU
42: VER attacks into T1 but locks up and has to use the escape road
HAM also locked up but got it under control before the corner
43: VER takes P3 from PIA
ANT now under 5sec behind teammate RUS
GAS has reported the track is breaking up in Turn 2
45/53: RUS, ANT, VER, PIA, NOR, HAM, GAS, LIN, COL, TSU
RUS’s lead now under 3sec
46: Radio for RUS saying they can see the tyre degredation, “take no risks”
Radio for ALB telling him to switch positions, giving P14 to SAI
47: ANT consistently putting in fastest laps; now under 1sec behind RUS, so he gets the boost
49: ANT right on RUS’ rear wing
RUS locks up in T1
ANT runs wide, through the gravel but keeps his foot in and gets back on track
PIA and NOR fighting over P4
50/53: RUS, ANT, VER, PIA, NOR, HAM, GAS, LIN, COL, TSU
ANT sweeps past his teammate for P1
51: NOR has a look at teammate PIA into Turn 1
NOR has another look, touches the grass
Radio from NOR claiming PIA pushed him off
52: ANT has a 1.2sec lead over RUS
Radio for PIA, “instruction from pit wall: clean racing”
53/53: PIA looked slow into T1; NOR cut the corner to avoid him
Apparently NOR passed PIA but I didn’t see it
ANT takes the chequered flag – even Ferrari fans are cheering the Italian driver – the podium is going to be crazy
That makes him the first Italian to win his home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966
Provisional result: ANT, RUS, VER, NOR, PIA, HAM, GAS, LIN, COL, TSU; BOR, HUL, SAI, LAW, BEA, OCO, ALB, PER*, BOT
*PER’s 5-sec penalty will drop him to P19 doesn’t change his position
DNF: STR, ALO, LEC
No additional penalties
Race classification: ANT, RUS, VER, NOR, PIA, HAM, GAS, LIN, COL, TSU; BOR, HUL, SAI, LAW, BEA, OCO, ALB, PER, BOT
One thought on “Italy Grand Prix”
Comments are closed.