#F1 @Pirelli #ItalianGP 2023 Preview. #Formula1 #ItalianGrandPrix
Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio D'Italia 2022 Race Start, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. Image credit to Joe Portlock/F1/Getty Images. 2023 Italian GP Preview, Italian Grand Prix Preview, Ferrari Livery Italian GP.
2023 Italian GP Preview – After Max Verstappen equalled four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine victories in a row at his home Grand Prix at Zandvoort, round 15 of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championships heads from a sea of orange to red as the F1 circus returns to the historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy for the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio D’Italia 2023, the second home Grand Prix for Ferrari where the “Tifosi” will be in their droves. This will be the 93rd Italian Grand Prix since 1921 and the 89th time that the event will be held at Monza.
2023 Italian GP Preview – 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 and Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most victories at the Italian Grand Prix with five to their respective names.
Scuderia Ferrari is the most successful constructor at its home Grand Prix with 20 victories.
2023 Italian GP Preview – Onboard Pole Position Lap of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Here is the onboard pole position lap of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza from last year’s event, set by Charles Leclerc in his Scuderia Ferrari F1-75 racer. The Monegasque driver posted a 1:20.161. You can watch the footage right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKdvLFKXPVI
2023 Italian GP Preview – The Last Five Winners
2022: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2021: Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren-Mercedes. 2020: Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri-Honda. 2019: Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari. 2018: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1.
2023 Italian GP Preview – 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 softest compounds in it’s range. The white-branded P Zero C3 Hards, the yellow-marked P Zero C4 Mediums and the red side-walled P Zero C5 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.
All drivers will have four sets of the C5 red side-walled Softs, four sets of the yellow C3 Mediums and three sets of the white C2 Hard rubber as Pirelli brings in the “Alternative Tyre Allocation” for the second time this season.
2023 Italian GP Preview – DRS Zones
As in 2022, 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.
2023 Italian GP Preview – Pitlane Speed Limits
Pitlane speed limits will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.
ICYMI: Verstappen equals Vettel victory streak record in wild Dutch GP
Verstappen Dutch GP Victory – Reigning world champion Max Verstappen clinched his 46th-career victory at his home race in a wet-and-wild Dutch GP, after shrugging off two downpours and a red flag.
The championship leader remained calm during a six-lap dash to the finish following a red flag for heavy rain and managed a restart over Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso successfully extend his streak of wins to 11 in a dominant 2023 campaign.
A torrential rain band on the 61st tour produced a stoppage as stewards waited for some of the rain to clear, which offered Verstappen a challenge to the lead, which the Dutchman held since lap 12.
Although Alonso got close to the Red Bull driver at the restart and was on the tail of Verstappen at Tarzan corner, the reigning world champion kept his nerves calm to build a 3.744 gap by the end of the Grand Prix to extend his title lead to 138 points over Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez and equal four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine-consecutive victories .
When the 72-lap Dutch GP began, spots of rain started to hit the drivers’ visors, with pole-sitter Verstappen making a comfortable getaway into Tarzan corner, behind them Alonso and Mercedes’ George Russell made their way past Williams Racing’s Alexander Albon.
The rain shower hit at the end of the opening tour, whilst Verstappen held a 1:173 seconds clear of second-placed Alonso who found his way past McLaren’s Lando Norris who was down in third, with Russell fourth and Albon rounding out the top five.
Opportunistic drivers Perez, Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen and AlphaTauri duo Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson all pitted for intermediates.
A tour later Verstappen opted to pit on the following tour, but his falling speeds on the softer compound ensured that Perez could emerge in-front of his Red Bull team-mate.
On lap three, Perez flew through the field and past soft-running Russell and Norris to get into the lead.
Despite stopping a lap later, Verstappen’s laps on the green-branded intermediates were rapid and he found his confidence, pushing through the order. He quickly made his way up into second place after clearing initial tour stoppers Zhou and Gasly and began chasing team-mate Perez.
On the fourth lap, Norris came in for intermediates along with Hamilton and both emerged at the rear.
At the beginning of the sixth tour, Perez held a 11.761 second gap over Alfa Romeo’s Zhou with Verstappen third after passing Gasly whilst Leclerc rounded out the top five.
Alonso jumped into fifth place overtaking Leclerc meanwhile Verstappen made short work of Zhou to move into second place.
Williams Racing’s Logan Sargeant who was still running on the slicks was overlapped.
On lap nine, Sainz overtook the front-wing damaged Ferrari team-mate Leclerc into turn one for sixth place.
On the tenth tour, Perez’s lead to Red Bull team-mate Verstappen was down to 4.722 seconds with Zhou third and Gasly right on his tail, meanwhile Alonso completed the top five.
The circuit was rapidly drying, and indications from the drivers who did not suggest that the crossover point from intermediates to slicks had emerged to prompt the green side-walled runners to stop again.
On lap 11, Hamilton came in for a set of C3 red side-walled softer compounds along with Zhou, Gasly and Sainz.
Verstappen was granted the opportunity to pit ahead of Perez on that tour to put on a fresh set of softs, and the widening tyre delta between the pairing ensured the Dutchman to perform the undercut over team-mate Perez when the Mexican stopped a lap later.
After reclaiming the lead, Verstappen and Perez settled into a rhythm before on lap 16, Sargeant suffered a massive shunt front on into the wall at turn eight after spinning and losing control after touching the kerb, which brought out the safety car.
Sargeant indicated that something “failed on the front right.”
Meanwhile, Russell came in for a fresh set of hards, emerging in 18th place – Gasly was hit with a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit-lane.
Perez asked his team if more rain was expected and the team responded, “there are cells on the radar, first one, 35 minutes.”
When the safety car came in and the action resumed on lap 22, Verstappen managed it well from team-mate Perez, with Alonso having a look at the Mexican but kept him at bay.
Behind the leaders, Sainz likewise had a look at Gasly, but the Alpine driver kept the Ferrari behind.
On lap 23, Verstappen’s lead was up to 1.159 seconds over team-mate Perez with Alonso third, Gasly holding fourth and Sainz closely behind in fifth.
On lap 26, race leader Verstappen posted the fastest lap of a 1:15.564 and his gap was up to 2.233 seconds with Alonso holding third, Gasly fourth and Sainz fifth.
Behind them, Hamilton picked up a solid slipstream with DRS assistance behind Leclerc and made a late dive on the inside to overtake the Ferrari into 12th and likewise Piastri demoted the Monegasque driver into 14th.
On lap 28, Norris made his way back into the points, passing Magnussen for tenth place into Tarzan.
A tour later, Hamilton also moved ahead of the Dane on the inside into turn one to grab eleventh place.
On the 30th lap, Verstappen lead over Red Bull team-mate Perez was up to 3.551 seconds with Alonso in third place, Gasly fourth and Sainz rounding out the top five.
In the four-car train, Norris made a solid overtake around the outside of Zhou for ninth-place into turn one.
On the 33rd tour, Hamilton jumped into tenth place passing Zhou down the main-straight with DRS assistance.
At the beginning of the 35th lap, Verstappen’s gap increased to 4.612 seconds over Perez, with Alonso keeping in third, Gasly fourth and Sainz completing the top five.
On lap 37, Russell moved ahead of Leclerc on the inside to snatch 14th place from the Ferrari driver.
The 39th tour saw Bottas also pass Leclerc around the outside to take 14th place, meanwhile Zhou came in for a fresh set of softs and emerged in 17th place behind Lawson.
On lap 40, Verstappen’s lead was up to 6.652 seconds over Red Bull team-mate Perez with Alonso further back in third, Gasly holding fourth and Sainz rounding out the top five.
On lap 42, Sainz pitted from fifth for a fresh set of softs and came out in 11th and behind Piastri.
A tour later, Leclerc was called in to pit to retire the car to become the Grand Prix’s second retirement.
On lap 45, Verstappen increased the gap over Perez to 8.309 seconds with Alonso a further 4.308 seconds back in third, Gasly fourth and Tsunoda completing the top five.
A lap later Perez stopped for a set of softs and emerged in fourth place behind Gasly.
Hamilton likewise pitted from sixth to take on a fresh set of softs and came out in 14th place behind former Mercedes team-mate Bottas.
A tour later, Gasly came in for a set of softs, and served his five-second time penalty and emerged in sixth place with Russell hot on his tail.
On lap 48, Sainz made his way ahead of Tsunoda with DRS assistance and on the inside of the AlphaTauri into Tarzan corner to take fourth place.
Lap 49 saw Alonso come in for a set of softs, relinquishing third place and a front-left tyre issue cost the Spaniard a slow 8.3 second pit-stop and emerged 2.474 behind fellow Spanish-compatriot Sainz in fourth.
On the 50th tour, Verstappen pitted also for a set of softs and remained in the lead with a gap over six seconds to Red Bull team-mate Perez.
With 20 laps remaining, in the fight for third, Alonso was right behind the Ferrari of Sainz and with DRS assistance jumped up the inside to grab the position.
Behind them Russell made his way ahead of Tsunoda to take sixth place off the Japanese driver.
On the 57th lap, Verstappen’s lead was up to 9.556 seconds and in-front of team-mate Perez, with Alonso third and holding the fastest lap bonus point, Sainz in fourth, but with a charging Gasly right on the Ferrari’s rear.
In the fight for fourth, Gasly made an aggressive move around the outside of the Ferrari, but Sainz managed to hold the Frenchman behind.
On the 60th lap, the rain band hit as expected. Gasly made his way around the outside of Sainz into Tarzan corner to take fourth. Perez pitted for a set of inters and along with Gasly, Sainz, Hamilton, Norris, Russell, Piastri and the majority.
Verstappen and Alonso also stopped a tour later with both remaining in the lead and third respectively.
A tour later, Perez went straight off into turn one after suffering a lock up, spinning and hitting the barrier and lost second place to Alonso.
On lap 64, Zhou crashed front on into the barrier, deploying initially the virtual safety car and then the race was stopped due to the red flag from the torrential downpour.
Following a 43-minute delay, the race resumed behind the safety car with a rolling start procedure.
On the 68th tour, Verstappen held a 0.972 second lead to Alonso with Perez third who was hit with a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit-lane. Meanwhile Gssly and Sainz rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively.
On the 70th tour in the battle for fifth, sixth and seventh. Sainz, Hamilton and Norris were within a second of each other, but the positions remained as they were.
Verstappen crossed the line to claim a hattrick of victories at his home Dutch GP by 3.744 seconds over Alonso with Gasly completing the podium following Perez’s five-second time penalty.
Sainz ended the race in fifth and in-front of Hamilton who took sixth and Norris who placed seventh.
Williams’ Albon was eighth and ahead of McLaren’s Piastri and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon who rounded out the final points positions.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finished outside the top ten in 11th place and in-front of Haas F1 Team’s Hulkenberg who came 12th in the order and Lawson taking 13th in his debut race.
Magnussen settled for 14th in his VF-23 entry and ahead of Alfa’s Bottas who took 15th and Tsunoda who was 16th.
Mercedes’ Russell joined Leclerc, Zhou and Sargeant as the retirees of the Grand Prix.
2023 Italian GP Preview – The Situation
Formula 1 returns to Ferrari’s home tarmac at the historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza and a place where Max Verstappen could win his 10th consecutive race in a row.
In the final round of the European phase of the campaign, Monza welcomes back the pinnacle of motorsport for a weekend steeped in rich tradition, nostalgia and high-speeds at the Temple of Speed where cars hit a top speeds of 350kph+.
The track’s combination of long straights and chicanes is unique in the sport, where it sees teams bringing a low-downforce aerodynamic package, and which can sometimes see a surprise or two in the order.
Red Bull once more put their 100 per cent winning record on the line this weekend in Monza, and in a warning from history, it was the circuit where the dominant McLaren who were on course for a 100% winning record in the 1988 season were dashed.
The pressure of course in Italy mounts on Ferrari.
Charles Leclerc scored pole position for the Tifosi last season, but it was Verstappen who beat the Monegasque driver to take the victory in the race. The Prancing Horse’s disappointment last time out in Zandvoort, will have escalated the expectancy amongst the fans and try to turn things round at their home Grand Prix.
Ferrari have also unveiled a new tweaked livery as well as updated drivers suits and helmets for Leclerc and Sainz to celebrate the company’s DNA, it’s unique relationship with Monza and to celebrate the 499P Hypercar’s overall victory in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hour race. The SF-23 will pay tribute to the 499P in the form of yellow “V” stripes that run down the side of the Hypercar, featuring on the nose and engine cover. The two machines already have the Rosso Le Mans red colour in common, with a matt finish on the F1 car and gloss on the endurance racer. The race numbers – 16 and 55 – will also be coloured in yellow. Leclerc and Sainz will have race suits specially designed for this Grand Prix, featuring the famous Maranello marque’s colours of yellow, red and black and the “long F” logo which also features on the rear wing. Special helmets also; with yellow for the Monegasque and black for the Spaniard.
Max Verstappen returns to Italy sitting on top of the Driver’s Championship with 339 points and has a 138-point advantage over Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez who is second on 201 points in second and Fernando Alonso sits in third place on 168 points and a further 171 points off the Dutchman.
Oracle Red Bull Racing comes to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on top of the Constructors Championship with 540 points and a 285-point lead over nearest rival Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team who are second on 255 points whilst Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team is third and a further 325 behind the Milton Keynes based-outfit on 215 points.
Click here for Formula 1 2023 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings
The Formula 1 Gran Premio Pirelli D’Italia 2023 weekend begins Friday September 1 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday September 2 and will the 53 lap Race Sunday September 3.
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