The Italian Grand Prix this weekend in Monza sees Formula 1 return to the scene of one of the most dramatic moments in recent memory, at a point where Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes appear to have overtaken Ferrari as the closest competitors to Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
But with Red Bull having such an advantage at low-downforce circuits this season, can Verstappen and Hamilton be expected to resume their on-track rivalry once again this weekend?
Here are the top talking points for the Italian Grand Prix.
Rivalry revival
One year ago at Monza, the season-long world championship duel between Verstappen and Hamilton saw one of its most dramatic moments. While battling for position on track with Hamilton having left the pit lane following a stop, the two championship contenders ran side-by-side into the Rettifilo chicane and collided, sending the Red Bull on top of the Mercedes and both into retirement.
It was the second major clash between the pair during the 2021 season, following their high-speed tangle at Silverstone, which served to fan the flames of the rivalry that built until the dramatic season finale in Abu Dhabi.
But while 2022 has seen the two champions rarely fighting on-track, with Mercedes unable to match the Red Bull for performance throughout the season, that changed last weekend in Zandvoort where Hamilton and Mercedes pushed Verstappen harder than at any point since that notorious Yas Marina showdown. Verstappen may have overtaken Hamilton to secure yet another victory, but Mercedes’ race pace left Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto admitting that Mercedes were now likely ahead of them in terms of overall performance on the track.
Whether that will be the case this weekend remains to be seen. Monza is the ultimate low-downforce circuit, and Mercedes produced one of their worst performances of the season relative to Red Bull at the last similar track, Spa-Francorchamps.
But the W13 has proven a mysterious creature, being unexpectedly competitive at some circuits and underperforming at tracks Mercedes did not expect to do as well at. If Mercedes can keep up with Red Bull this weekend, it could be Hamilton who is Verstappen’s closest adversary once again.
No excuses for Ferrari
Ferrari’s continued slide away from championship contention has been one of the outstanding stories of the 2022 season – not just for how they have lost touch with Verstappen and Red Bull in the standings,…
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