#F1 @Heineken #GranPremio D’Italia 2019 Preview – @F1

After Charles Leclerc claimed a maiden victory at an emotional Belgian Grand Prix, round 14 of the 2019 FIA Formula 1 World Championship heads to the atmospheric, popular and famous Autodromo Nazionale Monza for the Formula 1 Heineken Gran Premio D’Italia 2019, where “The Tifosi” come in their droves to support the mighty Ferrari. This will be the 89^th Italian Grand Prix since 1921 and the 85^th time that the event will be held at Monza.

 

 

A look at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza

 

 

Built in the Royal Villa of Monza Park in its woodland setting, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a permanent racing circuit located near the city of Monza, North Milan in Italy. The circuit has played host to the Italian Grand Prix since the sport of Formula 1 began in 1950 with the exception of 1980 where the race was held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola) in San Marino while the Monza circuit underwent refurbishment. The site has three tracks including the Grand Prix circuit, the 2.405km (1.494 mile) short circuit and a 4.250km (2.641 mile) high speed oval with steep banking which has been unused for many decades. The main features of the Grand Prix circuit include the Curva Grande, the Lesmos, Variante Ascari and Parabolica.

 

The first track was built from May 15 to July 1922 and financed by the Milan Automobile Club. The original circuit was 10km (6.25 miles) long with a flat banked oval section and a road circuit all combined into one. Since then it has continuously undergone many modifications and changes due to driver and spectator safety reasons.

 

The 1.6L turbocharged V6 hybrid engines displayed speeds of up to 360 kph (223 mph) in 2016. The circuit is mostly flat but has a gradual gradient from the second Lesmo up to the Variante Ascari. Due to low aerodynamic profile needed, with its resulting low downforce, the grip is very low, and understeer is a more serious issue than at other circuits on the calendar. However, oversteer is also present in the second sector, requiring use of a very distinctive opposite lock technique. Since both maximum power and minimal drag are key for speed on the long straights, only drivers with enough power or aerodynamic efficiency are able to challenge for the top positions. The drivers are full throttle for nearly 80% of the lap due to its long straights and fast corners.

 

The modern Grand Prix layout is 5.793km (3.900 miles) in length with 11 corners and runs in a clockwise direction.

 

Race distance is 306.720km (190.597 miles) in length with 53 laps in total.

 

Rubens Barrichello holds the fastest lap record with a 1:21.046 set at the 2004 event in his Scuderia Ferrari F2004.

 

Michael Schumacher holds the record for most victories at the Italian Grand Prix with five.

 

Scuderia Ferrari is the most successful constructor at its home Grand Prix with 19 victories.

 

Onboard Lap of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza

 

 

Here is last year’s onboard pole position lap from last years event, set by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn posted a blistering lap record at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza with a 1:19.119. You can watch it right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5_fo16E4LU

 

The Last Five Winners

 

 

2018: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1. 2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2014: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1.

 

Tyres

 

 

With the Autodromo Nazionale Monza featuring some of the F1 calendar’s fastest straights and the teams running a low downforce/drag setup, F1’s sole tyre supplier Pirelli will be bringing with them the white-branded P Zero C2 Hard’s, the yellow-marked P Zero C3 Mediums and the red side-walled P Zero C4 Soft tyre compounds along with the green-marked Intermediates and blue-branded Full Wet compounds in case of rain.

 

With high energy loads up to 4.5g and all forces at work encouraging heat build-up through the tyres and big impacts with the kerbs, the tyre compound and structure is tested to its limits throughout the lap and is more demanding than a slow circuit. With a low downforce setup used at Monza, the drivers need to take care of the rear tyres, so they don’t provoke wheelspin especially out of the Variante del Rettifilo and Variante della Roggia chicanes.

 

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen has gone the most aggressive with his tyre choices selecting 10 sets of the red-branded soft tyres.

 

Only Racing Point duo Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll have matched Verstappen’s selection, while Ferrari and Mercedes have opted for eight sets of the soft compounds.

 

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Alexander Albon will have nine sets of the softs at his disposal.

 

Amongst the front-runners, championship leader Lewis Hamilton has selected three sets of C3 mediums and two sets of the C2 hards, whilst team-mate Valtteri Bottas has gone with four sets of the C3 yellow mediums and the one set of the C1 hards.

 

At Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel will also have four sets of the C3 yellow side-walled mediums and team-mate Leclerc has opted to select three sets of mediums.

 

DRS Zones

As in 2018, there will be two DRS zones at Monza. The first zone detection point is 95 metres before turn seven with the activation point 210 metres after turn seven. The second zone detection point will be 20 metres before turn 11 with the activation point 115 metres after the finish line.

 

Pitlane Speed Limits

Pitlane speed limits will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.

 

ICYMI: Belgian GP Rewind – Leclerc holds off Hamilton to claim maiden Belgian GP victory

 

 

Charles Leclerc claimed a maiden victory at an emotional Belgian Grand Prix despite withstanding late pressure from a fast-charging Lewis Hamilton to give the Scuderia its first win in 2019.

 

Leclerc missed out on victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix due to an engine problem and at the Red Bull Ring after a late battle with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen but encountered no repeat as he finally converted the position into victory at the third chance.

 

Mercedes pairing Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas completed the top three after Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel dropped behind the two Silver Arrows after tyre issues and another pitstop.

 

Hamilton rapidly caught Leclerc in the closing stages but crossed the finish line 0.981 seconds behind the young Monegasque driver as the former dedicated his victory to his good friend Anthoine Hubert who tragically lost his life in yesterday’s Formula 2 feature race.

 

The Grand Prix nearly began immediately under the safety car after Verstappen’s race ended prematurely in the Eau Rouge barriers on the opening lap.

 

Verstappen suffered a slow start and was overtaken by Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen and Racing Point’s Sergio Perez on the rundown to La Source, but the Dutchman dive-bombed the two under-braking.

 

Verstappen passed Perez cleanly but clipped Raikkonen as the Alfa Romeo driver swept across the into the corner’s apex, sending the Finn into the air – and the duo once again made contact upon the exit of the corner.

 

Verstappen’s RB15 racer’s front left was damaged in the incident and broke completely as he entered Eau Rouge, which caused him to slide into the outside barriers.

 

Raikkonen was able to continue and made it to the pits, along with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo who picked up floor damage in a separate accident behind.

 

The safety car was set to return for the pit-lane on the third lap but remained on track because McLaren’s Carlos Sainz stopped on track after his Renault-powered MCL34 racer suffered a loss of power.

 

When the race went green on lap five, Leclerc was given relief as team-mate Vettel locked up into La Source.

 

Leclerc was in total control during his initial stint, surviving a minor scare after locking up at Les Combes and took an excursion into the run-off area.

 

The moment was noted by the stewards, after a pre-race briefing telling drivers to obey specific instructions if they went wide at Les Combes, but Leclerc ended up escaping an investigation.

 

Vettel held Hamilton at bay despite coming under intense pressure through the first half of the Grand Prix, and the former was first to pit his Ferrari on lap 15.

 

Leclerc, Hamilton and Bottas remained on track for a much longer first stint, and by the time the leader pitted on lap 21, he lost too much ground from Vettel to keep the position.

 

Vettel’s push on the C2 yellow side-walled mediums gave him a five second gap when Leclerc returned to the track, but the latter rapidly ate into the gap with the fresh rubber.

 

Leclerc got into DRS range with 18 laps remaining and Ferrari ordered Vettel to let his team-mate passed, which the German obliged after a small delay to allow Leclerc a tow along the Kemmel Straight to minimise the time loss.

 

Ferrari’s strategy backed Leclerc for the victory, but it left Vettel vulnerable to both Mercedes drivers and the four-time World Champion soon dropped to fourth as his mediums fell off the cliff.

 

Leclerc looked to be safe until Hamilton pushed in rapidly during the closing stages, but the championship leader was unable to attempt an attack on the Ferrari – however, taking second place meant the Briton extended his lead in the standing to 65 points over team-mate Bottas.

 

After being overtaken by Hamilton, Vettel was told to stay out if he could manage to keep Bottas behind to, which he replied “negative” immediately and jumped into the pits for a fresh set of softs in a bid to grab the fastest lap bonus point.

 

Red Bull’s newly promoted youngster Alexander Albon finished a surprise fifth on debut with the Milton Keynes-based outfit after an impressive charge from the rear of the grid.

 

He was gifted the career-best result after final lap drama, as McLaren’s Lando Norris retired to give the Thai-Briton driver sixth and then Albon snatched fifth from Racing Point’s Perez.

 

Norris was well on course to be rewarded with his career-best finish, after climbing up the field during the opening lap.

 

The McLaren youngster then flew by his midfield rivals then reported a loss of power from his Renault engine as he was about to begin his final lap and pulled off track on the main-straight.

 

That promoted Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat to seventh late on, before drama struck once more when Alfa Romeo Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi crashed out on what could have been an eighth-placed finish.

 

Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg took eighth after passing team-mate Daniel Ricciardo during a late push, while Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly fought to a ninth-placed result on his return to the Faenza-based outfit.

 

Racing Point’s Lance Stroll rounded out the top ten as Ricciardo’s very worn tyres saw the Australian slip to 14^th behind the Haas F1 Team duo of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, who were running in a high sixth and seventh places respectively but fell swiftly as the race progressed.

 

The two ROKiT Williams Racing FW42’s of George Russell and Robert Kubica finished in 15^th and 17^th respectively with Alfa Romeo Racing’s Raikkonen sandwiched in-between the pairing.

 

The Situation

 

 

Lewis Hamilton returns to Italy sitting on top of the Driver’s Championship with 268 points and has a 65 points lead over team-mate Valtteri Bottas who is second on 203 points while Max Verstappen is a further 87 behind the Briton in third on 181 points.

 

Mercedes comes to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on top of the Constructors Championship with 471 points and a 145-point advantage over nearest rival Ferrari who is second on 326 points while Red Bull Racing is third and a further 217 behind the Silver Arrows on 254 points.

 

Can Ferrari’s solid straight-line speed advantage at their home Grand Prix bring them back-to-back victories for the first time since the 2018 Australian and Bahrain Grands Prix?

 

Formula 1 2019 World Driver’s Championship Standings – Top 10

1. Lewis Hamilton – 268 Points.
2. Valtteri Bottas – 203 Points.
3. Max Verstappen – 181 Points.
4. Sebastian Vettel – 169 Points.
5. Charles Leclerc – 157 Points.
6. Pierre Gasly – 65 Points.
7. Carlos Sainz – 58 Points.
8. Daniil Kvyat – 33 Points.
9. Kimi Raikkonen – 31 Points.
10. Alexander Albon – 26 Points.

 

Formula 1 2019 World Constructors Championship Standings

1. Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport – 471 Points.
2. Scuderia Ferrari – 326 Points.
3. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing-Honda – 254 Points.
4. McLaren-Renault F1 Team – 82 Points.
5. Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda – 51 Points.
6. Renault F1 Team – 43 Points.
7. SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team – 40 Points.
8. Alfa Romeo Racing – 32 Points.
9. Rich Energy Haas F1 Team – 26 Points.
10. ROKiT Williams Racing – 1 Point.

 

The Formula 1 Heineken Gran Premio D’Italia 2019 weekend begins Friday September 6 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday September 7 and will the 53 lap Race Sunday September 8.