Charles Leclerc parlayed a brilliant one-stop pit strategy and home-track advantage to overcome the faster McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and win the Pirelli Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday (Sept. 1). McLaren’s 2-3 finish along with Norris’ fastest lap point brought the team to within eight points of Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Leclerc said. “Actually, I thought the first [win at Monza] would have just felt like this, and the second time, if there was a second time, wouldn’t feel as special. But, my God, the emotions in the last few laps… exactly the same like in 2019.”
“Monaco and Monza are the two races I want to win every year,” he continued. “Obviously, I want to win as many races as possible and the world championship as soon as possible, but these are the two most important races of the season and I managed to win them this year. It’s so, so special.”
Carlos Sainz finished fourth on his 30th birthday, with Lewis Hamilton taking fifth ahead of Max Verstappen in sixth. George Russell was seventh, Sergio Perez finished a typical eighth, while Williams’ Alexander Albon placed ninth ahead of Kevin Magnussen of Haas in 10th.
In the Drivers Championship, Norris’ 16 points at Monza trimmed Verstappen’s lead down to 62 points, 303 to 241. Leclerc is third with 217 points, 20 ahead of Piastri in fourth.
In the constructor standings, Red Bull leads McLaren by only eight points, 446 to 438, with Ferrari well in the hunt in third with 407.
The Race
Finally, Norris started well at lights out and held serve, leading Piastri into turn 1, while Russell locked up and was forced to take to the runoff area. Russell’s Mercedes also suffered front wing damage.
But Norris’ lead was short-lived, as Piastri attacked in the second chicane, taking the lead from his teammate who also lost second to Leclerc. Not an ideal start for Norris, but on the bright side, he has experience winning a race after blowing the lead on the first lap.
Further back, the two Red Bulls started on hard tires and Verstappen was quick for the first time this weekend, as in quick to complain that Hamilton didn’t leave him room at the start.
Up front, Piastri’s lead was less than a second over Leclerc by lap 6, with Norris about a second back of the Ferrari. Norris was a safe distance ahead of Sainz in fourth, so Norris was content to…
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