#F1 @Pirelli #ItalianGP 2024 Preview. #Formula1 #ItalyGP #MonzaGP
Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio D'Italia 2023 Race Start, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. Image credit to Mark Thompson/Getty Images. 2024 Italian GP Preview, Italian Grand Prix Preview, F1 Italian GP Preview, 2024 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix Preview, Ferrari Italian GP Monza.
2024 Italian GP Preview – After Lando Norris cruised to a dominant second-career victory at Zandvoort, round 16 of the 2024 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 2024, the second home Grand Prix for Ferrari where the “Tifosi” will be in their droves. This will be the 94th Italian Grand Prix since 1921 and the 90th time that the event will be held at Monza.
2024 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 Sir 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.
2024 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 Carlos Sainz in his Scuderia Ferrari SF-23 racer. The Spaniard posted a 1:20.294. You can watch the footage right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7_5VQWTj6s
2024 Italian GP Preview – The Last Five Winners
2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2022: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. 2021: Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren-Mercedes. 2020: Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri-Honda. 2019: Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari.
2024 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 its 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.
2024 Italian GP Preview – DRS Zones
As in 2023, 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.
2024 Italian GP Preview – Pitlane Speed Limits
Pitlane speed limits will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.
ICYMI: Norris cruises to second-career victory at Dutch GP
McLaren’s Lando Norris cruised to his second-career victory at the Dutch GP overtaking home favourite Max Verstappen to reclaim the lead on lap 18 and dominated from there with a crushing 22.896 second gap as the Briton crossed the line. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the final points place.
When the 72 lap Dutch GP began, pole-sitter Norris got an even start but Verstappen made the jump on the former before reaching Tarzan as behind them Mercedes’ George Russell made his way ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to snatch third place.
At the beginning of lap two, Verstappen’s lead over Norris was at 1.148 seconds with Russell third, Piastri fourth as Ferrari’s Leclerc completed the top five.
Behind them Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton made the move on the inside of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda into turn 11 to jump into 12th place.
On the fourth tour, in the battle for fourth, Piastri got very close to the rear of Russell’s Silver Arrow into Tarzan, but the latter managed to keep the Australian at bay.
Lap five saw Verstappen’s lead sitting at 1.355 over Norris with Russell third, Piastri fourth as Leclerc completed the top five.
A lap later a DRS train was forming from seventh-placed Alpine of Pierre Gasly up to 13th-placed Tsunoda.
The top six drivers were told to manage and nurse their tyres with the question how long will the C2 yellow-marked mediums last. Especially with the higher fuel loads of the race weekend.
On the tenth tour, Verstappen’s lead over Norris was at 1.5 seconds with Russell a further three seconds off in third, Piastri fourth as Leclerc rounded out the top five.
Meanwhile the fight for seventh was intensifying with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz right on the tail of Gasly.
And on the main-straight with DRS assistance, Sainz made the move on the inside of the Alpine into Tarzan as both ran wheel-to-wheel out of the exit as the former once they reached turns two and three made the move stick to take seventh place.
Further behind, Hamilton made his way past Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg to snatch 11th place.
On the 12th tour, Leclerc was closing in on Piastri with four tenths between the duo in the battle for fourth.
Piastri was asked about Plan A or Plan B (One Stop or Two Stop) with the Australian responding “Plan A” as he was happy with his tyres condition.
Meanwhile behind them, Hamilton was up into the points overtaking Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll for tenth place at Tarzan.
On the 15th lap Verstappen’s gap to Norris was down to one second with Russell third, Piastri fourth as Leclerc completed the top five runners.
Race leader Verstappen reported to his team “The car doesn’t want to turn” as Norris got back within DRS range of the Red Bull driver as Hamilton made his way into ninth past former McLaren team-mate Alonso.
On the 17th tour, Norris had a look on the inside of the Dutchman into Tarzan, but the championship leader kept him behind.
On the following lap with DRS assistance and picking up intense speed out of the final-banked corner, Norris made the move on the inside of Verstappen to jump into the lead at Tarzan corner.
Norris asked his team “What is the plan from here?” to which the team replied that they are sticking with Plan A with the Woking based-outfit accepting that they may get undercut when the pit-stop window opens for the leaders.
On the 20th lap, Norris was 0.690 seconds ahead of Verstappen as the latter kept within DRS assistance of the Briton, Russell held third, Piastri fourth as Leclerc completed the top five runners.
On the 22nd tour, Verstappen lost his DRS range falling over 1.9 seconds down from race leader Norris as the wind gusts picked up at the Circuit Zandvoort.
In the fight for fourth, Leclerc was continuing to be within DRS range and had a look at the McLaren around the outside into turn one, but the Australian covered the Monegasque driver.
On lap 24, Hamilton pitted from ninth for a fresh set of the C1 white side-walled harder rubber and emerged in 16th behind Tsunoda.
A lap later, Leclerc pitted to attempt an undercut on Piastri and swapped his mediums for the harder compound and came out in ninth place behind Gasly.
Out-front, Norris’s gap to Verstappen was up to 4.964 seconds.
Lap 26 saw Russell stop from third for his fresh set of hards, suffered a slow 3.4 second stop and re-joined in ninth behind Leclerc and Alonso.
Russell quickly made short work of the Spaniard to move into eighth place.
On the 28th lap, Verstappen made his pit stop from second to put on his fresh set of C1’s, coming out in fifth place behind Sainz.
Meanwhile lap 29, Norris stopped from the lead for his fresh set of hards and came out in fourth place and crucially ahead of Verstappen.
Meanwhile with DRS assistance, Leclerc jumped Gasly on the main-straight to take sixth place.
On the 30th tour Perez pitted from second for his fresh set of the C1’s and emerged in ninth place behind Alonso’s AMR24.
Lap 31 saw Sainz pit for his harder rubber with a good 2.6 second stop and came out in ninth place behind Perez.
Later on in the lap, Perez made a move on the inside of Alonso at turn 11 to take eighth place as the Spaniard quickly dived into the pits as Sainz swarmed in on his fellow Spanish-compatriot.
Out-front, the yet-to-pit Piastri was 6.357 seconds clear of Norris in a McLaren one-two, Verstappen third, Leclerc fourth as Russell completed the top five.
On the 34th tour, Piastri finally made his pit-stop for his C1 hards and came out and emerged in fifth place behind Mercedes’ Russell.
Lap 37, Norris’s gap over Verstappen 7.8 seconds with Leclerc third and a distant 13 seconds off with Russell fourth as Piastri rounded out the top five.
Perez was sixth ahead of Sainz, Hamilton, Hulkenberg and Magnussen – who still needs to stop.
Both McLaren drivers were the fastest drivers out on track with Norris in clean air as he chased down RB’s Tsunoda whilst Piastri was 2.1 seconds off fourth-placed Russell.
On lap 40, Norris’s lead was 9.950 seconds clear of Verstappen with Leclerc third and in the battle for fourth – Piastri with DRS assistance made his move on the pit-straight around the outside of Russell into Tarzan to jump into the position.
Another train was forming behind Gasly for the second time in the race as he had Alonso, Albon, Stroll and Ricciardo for company.
Meanwhile, seventh-placed Sainz was charging in on Perez’s RB20 getting into DRS range as out-front second-placed Verstappen reported to his team that his tyres were degrading.
On lap 46, Sainz had another look on the Mexican into Tarzan, but the Red Bull driver still kept the Spaniard behind.
A tour later, Piastri attempted to make the move on Leclerc into Tarzan but could not get the job done as behind them Sainz made a late dive up the outside of Perez at the same corner and overtook the latter to take sixth place.
On lap 49, eighth-placed Hamilton took advantage of a free pit-stop window and put on a fresh set of the C3 softs and attempt to push for the fastest lap bonus point and potentially further up the field.
Red Bull’s crew ran out with soft tyres into the pit-lane but ran back in meaning to be for Perez as he also had a free pit-stop window ahead of eighth-placed Hamilton.
With 19 laps remaining, Norris’s lead increased to 14.316 seconds over Verstappen with Leclerc third, Piastri closely behind in fourth as Russell rounded out the top five runners.
In the fight for fourth place, Piastri fell out of DRS range from third-placed Leclerc as the gap reached 1.497 seconds.
On lap 55, fifth-placed Russell stopped for a scrub set of the softer compounds and emerged in seventh ahead of Mercedes team-mate Hamilton.
Fourth-placed Piastri was asked by his team how are his tyres to which the Australian responded, “Not amazing, but we’ll make it to the end.”
With 15 tours remaining, Norris’s gap over Verstappen increased to 15.8 seconds with Leclerc third, Piastri fourth as Sainz completed the top five.
The battle for fourth place saw Piastri hanging 1.1 seconds off third-placed Leclerc, close but not close enough for the McLaren driver as Gasly overtook Hulkenberg at Tarzan to move up into ninth place.
Leclerc was lapping quicker than second-placed Verstappen – with the Monegasque driver having a reason to push as the Red Bull driver was in tyre management mode as Aston Martin’s Alonso jumped into the final points position overtaking Hulkenberg into tenth place around the outside at Tarzan.
With six laps left, Hamilton was gaining on Mercedes team-mate Russell with the gap down to 1.474 seconds as the latter could not eat into Perez’s gap.
With five tours remaining, Norris’s lead was at 19.344 seconds over Verstappen with Leclerc third, Piastri fourth as Sainz rounded out the top five.
Norris crossed the line to take the Dutch GP victory by 22.896 seconds over Verstappen as Leclerc completed the podium.
The second MCL38 entry of Piastri was fourth and in-front of Ferrari’s Sainz who took fifth whilst Red Bull’s Perez came home sixth.
The Mercedes pairing followed as Russell finished ahead of team-mate Hamilton in seventh as Alpine’s Gasly and Aston Martin’s Alonso completed the top ten runners.
Haas’s Hulkenberg ended the Grand Prix outside the top ten in 11th place and in-front of RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who settled for 12th and Aston Martin’s Stroll who took 13th.
Williams’ Albon and Logan Sargeant placed 14th and 16th respectively as Alpine’s Esteban Ocon split the duo in 15th.
RB’s Tsunoda reached the chequered flag 17th and ahead of Haas F1’s Kevin Magnussen who was 18th as Sauber pairing Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu brought up the rear and two laps down from the lead.
2024 Italian GP Preview – The Situation
The 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season continues this weekend with the final European round of the campaign at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
Lando Norris made the brilliant start after the traditional summer break with a dominant second-career victory at the Dutch GP to reduce his championship deficit to 70 points against rival Max Verstappen.
Verstappen has not won the last five races, his longest winless drought since 2020, and Red Bull are becoming under intense pressure from McLaren.
In the World Constructor’s Championship, McLaren are only 30 points behind Red Bull with Ferrari a further 34 off.
Ferrari will be aiming to do something special in-front of the “Tifosi” at their second home grand Prix of the season with Monza becoming a sea of red as the spectators watch the cars fly by at over 330kph+ on the straights.
Carlos Sainz scored a brilliant pole position a year ago at the Italian GP and will be racing for the Scuderia one last time before moving to Williams in 2025.
There will be another Italian star competing this weekend as Formula 2 young gun Andrea Kimi Antonelli drives for Mercedes in Free Practice 1, with an expected announcement that he will be confirmed as George Russell’s team-mate for next season.
Sir Lewis Hamilton and Russell will be pushing for a stronger weekend in Italy after a tough Dutch GP.
FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 also continues this weekend at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, so it will be an action-packed weekend around one of Formula 1’s most famous and historic circuits.
Verstappen returns to Italy sitting on top of the Driver’s Championship with 295 points and has a 70-point advantage over McLaren’s Norris who is second on 225 points in second and Charles Leclerc sits in third place on 192 points and a further 103 points off the Dutchman.
Oracle Red Bull Racing comes to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on top of the Constructors Championship with 434 points and a 30-point lead over nearest rival McLaren Formula 1 Team who are second on 404 points whilst Scuderia Ferrari is third and a further 64 behind the Milton Keynes based-outfit on 370 points.
Click here for Formula 1 2024 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings
The Formula 1 Gran Premio Pirelli D’Italia 2024 weekend begins Friday August 30 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday August 31 and will the 53 lap Race Sunday September 1.
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