Race Notes - Leclerc wins Monza for Ferrari

By Mark Karp

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, holding on with a one-stop strategy, lasting 38 laps on hard tyres to win over Oscar Piastri in the McLaren-Mercedes by 2.664 seconds in second place, and Lando Norris in third place, 6.153 seconds behind the winner.

Piastri had been in the lead and McLaren seemingly gave the race away when pitting a second time.

It is the second career Monza win for Leclerc, and his 7th career victory. It is the seventh different winner this season.

Carlos Sainz (15.621s) in the second Ferrari was fourth, followed by Lewis Hamilton (22.820s) in the Mercedes GP in fifth, Max Verstappen (37.932s) in the Red Bull-Honda was sixth, George Russell (39.715s) in the second Mercedes was seventh, Sergio Perez (54.148s) in the second Red Bull was eighth, Alex Albon (1m07.456s) in the Williams-Mercedes was ninth, and Kevin Magnussen (1m08.302s) in the Haas-Ferrari took the final point finish in tenth place.

It was a all-McLaren front row, with Norris on pole with Piastri alongside, Russell and Leclerc on the second row, Sainz and Hamilton on row 3, Verstappen and Perez on row 4, and Albon and Hulkenberg rounding out the top ten.

With the hot weather, hotter than it has been all weekend, and the softer of the medium and hard tyres brought to the event, there has been a lot of tyre graining during practice, so with the long pit stop time loss, tyre management will be the top priority of the day. Expect 1 or 2 stops during the race. There is a 40% chance of a shower during the race.

The top ten starting on medium tyres, except the two Red Bull's on hard tyres.

At the appointed time the drivers came around on the formation lap and lined up on the grid, the lights went off and the race began with Norris gettin the lead, Russell

Piastri takes the lead at turn two, Leclerc also gets past Norris.

The two Haas cars having touched.

At the end of lap one, Piastri leads Leclerc, Norris, Sainz, Hamilton, Verstappen, Russell, Perez, Albon and Fernando Alonso in tenth place.

Russell has damage to his front wing, having clipped a bollard having gone off at turn 1.

On lap 6 Nico Hulkenberg pits.

At lap 7 Piastri leads over Leclerc by 0.7s, followed by Norris (2.1s), Sainz (3.0s), Hamilton (5.4s), Verstappen (6.9s), Russell (8.3s), Perez (9.1s), Albon (14.1s), Alonso (15.0s) in tenth.

On lap 8 Yuki Tsunoda retires the car in the pits.

Daniel Ricciardo receives a 5-second penalty for forcing a car off track.

On lap 9 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m24.362s.

On lap 10 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m24.077s.

Perez passes Russell for seventh place.

On lap 12 Russell pits, the team changes the front wing with a changes for hard tyres and he rejoins 16th.

On lap 13 Alonso pits for hard tyres and rejoins 15th.

On lap 15 Norris pits from third, hitting a sign on pit entry, for hard tyres and rejoins eighth.

On lap 16 Leclerc and Hamilton pit for hard tyres, Leclerc rejoins behind Norris in seventh, Hamilton rejoins tenth.

On lap 17 leader Piastri pits for hard tyres and rejoins fourth. Sainz takes the lead over Verstappen and Perez.

On lap 18 Albon pits for hard tyres and rejoins 13th.

Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m23.875s.

On lap 20 Sainz pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins sixth. Stroll pits.

Hamilton passes Ocon for seventh.

Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m23.826s.

Russell passes Bottas for ninth place.

On lap 21 Norris sets fast lap at 1m23.753s.

On lap 23 Verstappen pits from the lead for more hard tyres and rejoins eighth place.

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m23.581s.

Perez pits from the lead for more hard tyres and rejoins eighth behind Verstappen.

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m23.315s.

At lap 25 Piastri leads Norris by 1.8s, followed by Leclerc (3.4s), Sainz (14.5s), Hamilton (15.8s), Verstappen (23.8s), Perez (26.7s), Russell (28.6s), Ocon (31.0s), Alonso (32.4s) in tenth place.

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m23.230s and then again at 1m23.133s.

On lap 27 Alonso passes Ocon for ninth place.

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m23.088s.

On lao 27 Norris sets fast lap at 1m23.067s.

With Piastri and Norris one-two McLaren tells Piastri that they are in "Papaya rules".

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m23.066s, and then again at 1m22.968s.

Franco Colapinto passes Pierre Gasly for 15th place.

Russell us battling with Perez.

Norris made a mistake the last lap and Leclerc catches up with Norris.

On lap 33 Norris pits a second time for hard tyred and rejoins sixth behind Verstappen.

Russell pits for hard tyres and rejoins 12th.

Norris sets fast lap at 1m22,837s.

At lap 35 Piastri leads over Leclerc by 5.7 seconds, followed by Sainz (17.2s), Hamilton (18.8s), Verstappen (26.9s), Norris (28.5s), Magnussen (54.2s), Albon (57.3s), Perez (57.8s), Russell (58.4s) in tenth place.

One lap 38 Hamilton pits from fourth for hard tyres and rejoins sixth.

Piastri tells the team that his tyres are worn out.

On lap 38 Piastri pits from the lead for hard tyres and he rejoins third. Leclerc takes the lead over Sainz.

Russell passes Perez for eighth.

Norris is battling Verstappen for fourth.

At lap 40 Leclerc leads Sainz by 10.9 seconds, followed by Piastri (17.6s), Verstappen (20.9s), Norris (21.4s), Hamilton (34.8s), Magnussen (52.1s), Russell (52.8s), Perez (53.8s), and Albon (58.3s) in tenth place.

Norris passes Verstappen for fourth.

Verstappen pits for medium tyres and rejoins sixth.

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m23.264s.

With ten laps left Ferrari is going to try make their tyres last. Sainz in second has a two second lead over Piastri.

On lap 43 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m21.745s.

On lap 45 Leclerc leads Sainz by 11.4 seconds over Piastri (12.4s).

Piastri passes Sainz into the Ascari turn.

On lap 46 Leclerc leads Piastri by 11.3 seconds.

Norris is closing on Sainz in third.

Leclerc tells the Ferrari team to leave him alone with small changes.

On lap 48 Norris passes Sainz into the first corner.

At lap 50 Leclerc leads Piastri by 7.5 seconds, followed by Norris (10.7s), Sainz (15.3s), Hamilton (24.0s), Verstappen (40.1s), Russell (43.6s), Perez (52.8s), Magnussen (58.1s), and Albon (1m06.1s) on tenth place.

With 2 laps left Leclerc leads Piastri by 5.2 seconds.

On the final lap Leclerc has a 3.5 second lead.

At the finish Leclerc wins over Piastri and Norris.

On the final lap Norris set the fastest lap of the race at 1m21.432

After the race Ferrari President John Elkann said, "Winning on home turf in Monza is a unique feeling. This win is for all our fans who always support us and who today gave Charles that extra push over the final few laps. Congratulations to the whole team who were united in their efforts to get everything right, making this Ferrari win possible".