Charles Leclerc puts on a masterclass in Temple of Speed to win Italian GP after 5 years as McLaren outsmarted

Charles Leclerc secured a victory for Ferrari in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, strategically outmaneuvering Oscar Piastri's McLaren. While other teams opted for a two-stop strategy, Ferrari took a calculated risk by sticking to a one-stop plan.

Charles Leclerc wins Italian Grand Prix

Ferrari's excellent tyre management and Leclerc's skillful driving proved to be the winning combination. As McLaren realized their error, they urged Piastri to close the gap. Leclerc maintained a lead of 11.5 seconds over Piastri with just eight laps remaining, having previously overtaken Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc holds off Piastri for victory at Temple of Speed

Carlos Sainz struggled with his front-left tyre, despite pitting later than Leclerc. However, Leclerc's pace remained strong, and he held on to win by 2.6 seconds over Piastri. Lando Norris, starting from pole position, finished third. He was overtaken by Piastri on the first lap and then by Leclerc in the first Lesmo due to a rear slide. Despite initial appearances suggesting a McLaren one-two finish, the race was turned upside down by Leclerc's strategic gamble.

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Norris and Sainz Face Tyre Issues

Both Norris and Sainz encountered difficulties with their front-left tyres, with Norris complaining of understeer and requiring adjustments to his front wing. Despite scoring 16 points for third place and fastest lap, Norris's championship deficit to Max Verstappen only decreased by eight points.

Sainz finished fourth, followed by Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes. Verstappen salvaged sixth place, highlighting Red Bull's struggles at Monza, which was a track expected to favor them more than Zandvoort.

George Russell initially challenged for the lead but was forced wide by Piastri's McLaren on the first lap.

Russell and Albon's Performances

George Russell damaged his car's right front wing endplate and fell behind the leading group of eight cars. He later recovered to seventh by overtaking Sergio Perez, despite being forced onto the grass by Perez. Alex Albon scored his first points for Williams since the team's major upgrade, narrowly beating Kevin Magnussen's Haas. Magnussen received a 10-second penalty and two penalty points for colliding with Pierre Gasly's Alpine, which could result in a race ban due to his existing penalty points.

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Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin used a two-stop strategy but narrowly missed out on the final point, finishing just a tenth of a second behind Magnussen's Haas. Nico Hulkenberg, despite starting in the top 10, had a disappointing race, finishing 17th. He was forced off the track by Ricciardo and collided with Tsunoda, resulting in Tsunoda's retirement and a 10-second penalty for Hulkenberg. Franco Colapinto, making his F1 debut for Williams, finished 12th. He outperformed Ricciardo, who was penalized for the Hulkenberg incident. Esteban Ocon's Alpine, Gasly, and Valtteri Bottas's Sauber also finished behind Colapinto.

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