August 31, 2023
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eurosport.com
It is time for the final European race of the season! Typically, F1 has two Italian races in a season: the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix. The former was canceled this year due to intense floods so this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix will be more exciting than it usually is. Here is everything you need to know for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix:
Weekend Schedule (in EST):
Practice 1: Friday 09/01, 7:30-8:30 AM
Practice 2: Friday 09/01, 11:00-12:00 AM
Practice 3: Saturday 09/02, 06:30-07:30 AM
Qualifying: Saturday 09/02, 10:00-11:00 AM
Race: Sunday 09/03, 09:00 AM
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Autodromo Natzionale Monza formula1.com |
Having hosted a grand prix every year since F1’s debut in 1950, the Autodromo Natzionale Monza is one of the most historic tracks in F1’s history. Its 11 corners, long straights, and 2 DRS zones make up one of the fastest tracks on the calendar, with about 80% of the lap spent at full throttle. Teams will opt for a low-downforce set up to prioritize straight line speed and reduce drag, but braking stability is also essential for a successful weekend. Due to how fast and long the straights are, drivers have to brake hard, and often late, into almost every corner. They not only need to trust the car, they need to trust themselves to fully commit to the corner.
This weekend will feature the second running of Alternative Tire Allocation (ATA). As a reminder, this is part of F1’s sustainability plan as a way to minimize tire waste. Instead of the usual 13 tires per driver, each driver is given 11 tires (3 Hards, 4 Mediums, and 4 Softs) and it is mandated that they use Hards for Q1, Mediums for Q2, and Softs for Q3. If it rains, ATA is disregarded as Intermediate and Full Wet tires become available, but with Italy’s weather forecast for the weekend, I don’t think that’s likely. My main issue with ATA has always been the fact that it eliminates the need for tire strategy in Qualifying, but it did make for a pretty interesting starting grid and race in Hungary. I guess we will see if Monza can change how I feel about ATA by the end of this weekend.
The driver market has finally opened and silly season is on! Although, it still isn’t being very silly. Last weekend, Haas announced that the team would retain Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg for the 2024 season. Even though I still hold the fact that they kicked Mick Schumacher out of F1 against them, I am glad to see Haas finally get the stability they deserve. Mercedes have also announced that they signed both of their drivers for another two years, meaning George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will continue with the Silver Arrows until the end of the 2025 season.
Now, onto the race teams and drivers…
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| Sebastian Vettel celebrating his record tying 9 wins in a row at the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix redbull.com |
Last time out in Zandvoort, hometown hero Max Verstappen matched Sebastian Vettel’s longstanding record of 9 wins in a row. If he wins this weekend, and he probably will, Verstappen will break the record with a staggering 10 consecutive Grand Prix wins. When you really think about it, it is insane that he has even gotten 9. So many things go into winning a race, and the fact that Verstappen and Red Bull have managed to get everything right nine races in a row is remarkable. I’ll be rooting for Verstappen this weekend, and if ATA messes with the starting grid and becomes the only reason he doesn’t break the record, it is in for one scathing review.
Liam Lawson is back this weekend! Daniel Ricciardo is still recovering from surgery after breaking his hand in a FP2 crash at Zandvoort. AlphaTauri have confirmed that until Ricciardo is fit to get back in the car, Lawson will take his place. The early target for Ricciardo’s return is the Singapore Grand Prix, in two weeks time. Lawson had an amazing debut in Zandvoort, persevering through every condition imaginable and finishing ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda. With next season’s AlphaTauri lineup uncertain, Lawson’s impressive performances might put him in contention for a spot next season. It may seem like this weekend’s home Grand Prix is his last chance to prove himself worthy of the seat, but remember that all it took Nyck de Vries was a points finish in a Williams. If Liam can perform in Monza, and maybe even score some points, I think he stands a good chance of being called up for next season.
Speaking of impressive performances in Zandvoort, Williams shocked us all with two cars in Q3, Alex Albon qualifying P4, and a P8 finish. The team has really progressed over this season and the fact that they are disappointed with P8 is a testament to how they think their car can perform. Statistically, the FW45 is supposed to be good at low-downforce tracks. This doesn’t come as a surprise because of how impressive the car’s straight line speed is. However, they struggled in the corners at Spa, a low-downforce track where they expected to excel, and had amazing pace in Zandvoort, a high-downforce track that was expected to be one of their worst. It will be interesting to watch Williams figure out their car’s strengths during the rest of the season. And after his devastating result last weekend, Logan Sargeant will be hoping the car can perform in Monza. Still vying for a seat at Williams next season, Sargeant will need to deliver this weekend if he’s going to start proving himself.
This weekend is Ferrari’s home race. After their disastrous weekend in the Netherlands, with Carlos Sainz finishing P5 and Charles Leclerc retiring due to floor damage, they will be hoping for a clean weekend in front of their beloved Tifosi. Personally, I think the fact that Ferrari finished behind Alpine, a team that doesn’t even have team boss right now, is a bigger problem than only finishing P5. Anyway, I recently saw this meme featuring last weekend’s F2 Feature Race winner Clement Novalak and last year’s F2 champion Felipe Drugovich and I thought it perfectly explained Ferrari’s season:
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@drugovalak tumblr |
Speaking of Felipe Drugovich, the Aston Martin Test and Reserve driver will be driving in FP1 this weekend! The car has changed quite a bit since the Brazilian stepped in for an injured Lance Stroll during pre-season testing, so it will be cool to see how he fares in the new and improved Aston.
Honorable Mentions:
Here are a few special things I would like to point out.
1. Red Bull’s Constructors Championship lead is so large that they currently have more than double the points Mercedes has in second.
2. With Liam Lawson, AlphaTuari have now had more drivers this season (4) than points scored (3).
3. Ferrari are back at it again with ridiculous looking special livery! This year, we have been blessed with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc (McDonald’s Version). The yellow on the livery is a nod to the 499P car that Ferrari used to win the 24 hr Le Mans endurance race this year.
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skysports.com |
That is all for now! Monza always gives us some cool action, and with ATA and Verstappen’s possible record breaking win, we will have something to talk about.
I will be back after the race!
Happy Race Weekend!
- Divya
Where I got these
from:
- https://imgresizer.eurosport.com/unsafe/1200x0/filters:format(jpeg)/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/06/22/2837411-58513248-2560-1440.jpg
https://e0.365dm.com/23/08/2048x1152/skysports-charles-leclerc-carlos-sainz_6266988.jpg