12/09/2021
NEWS STORY
While the debate over the worth of the sprint continues, it's understandable that Toto Wolff has spoken of his doubts as to its worth.
After all, at a time many were expecting Lewis Hamilton to romp to victory, inheriting pole following a 1-2 in the Sprint, the reality is that due to a tardy start the Briton starts from fourth - behind the two McLarens - with title rival Max Verstappen on pole.
Meanwhile, the tactical engine change that the German team opted for leaves teammate Valtteri Bottas starting from the grid and therefore unable to play much of a part in today's proceedings, certainly in the early stages when Hamilton will most need him.
Indeed, looking back on yesterday's poor getaway, depending on tyre choice, Hamilton could find himself under pressure from the Ferrari and even Antonio Giovinazzi in the Alfa Romeo.
Perhaps the one thing the world champion can console himself following yesterday's Sprint, is that he didn't collect one of those awful medals - the sort of thing you hide at the back of the kitchen drawer along with that 'World's Best...' figurine.
Starting alongside Bottas at the back of the field is 2020 winner, Pierre Gasly after AlphaTauri opted to change the Frenchman's engine in the wake of his crash at the start of the Sprint.
As we know from biter experience, the opening lap here is notorious in terms of incidents, especially the first and second chicanes. Though he starts from pole, what Verstappen must do is stay out of trouble, for finishing second, third or fourth is better than a tangle with an over-enthusiastic McLaren at the start.
Make no mistake, McLaren can score a decent haul of points today, indeed a victory isn't entirely off the cards, somewhat ironic when you consider that it was here in 1988 that they narrowly missed out on a win that would have seen them victorious in every round.
Again, much will depend on tyre strategy, and the ability to stay out of trouble.
With the Weather Gods still on the naughty step following their Spa antics they are unlikely to play a part this afternoon, however, the midfield battle should be as eventful as ever.
Ferrari wants a good result on home ground, though Perez will be keen to make up for another poor qualifying performance.
While it remains to be seen what Giovinazzi can do, the Alfa driver starting 7th for the second successive weekend, it is doubtful that he will be in the mix for long, and will be overhauled by the Alpines and Aston Martins.
Long-time readers will be aware how much we love this track, having first visited in the early 70s, however the fact is that despite the incredible speeds and the challenging corners, Monza all too often produces processional races.
Unlike their 70s counterparts, when five or six cars would enter the Parabolica and exit on to the main straight in a completely different order, the aero limitations of today's cars make that impossible - hence Hamilton spending 18 laps yesterday almost glued to Lando Norris' gearbox.
Following that engine change, it was announced that Gasly took on a battery of a different spec to the original and will therefore start from the pitlane. Meanwhile, having changed Leclerc's engine for an older-spec unit, overnight have changed the unit back again.
The fastest strategy on paper is a one-stopper, starting on the mediums then going onto the softs. However, also switching from the soft or the medium to the hards can be a very good option, so all the compounds can play an important role.
The information from sprint qualifying showed how both the soft and medium are valid choices as starting tyres, and the teams will have gained vital information from their performance during the race.
A two-stopper is distinctly slower, but the best option in this case would be a soft-medium-soft strategy. The possibilities are in fact more open than usual at a sprint qualifying weekend, as nobody is locked into starting the race on the tyres with which they set their fastest times in Q2.
The pitlane opens and among the first out is Hamilton, the Briton keen to practice a start. Last out are Alonso and Russell.
Told that everything is OK, Gasly insists that it is "not OK". "I don't give a f*** what it says," he adds, it is not OK, I can't do one more lap like this."
"Something is coming out of the rear brakes, out of the ducts," reports Russell, "they seem to be very hot."
"Grip was very poor on that tyre," says Hamilton, "particularly on the front."
Air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 44 degrees. It is bright and sunny, with 0% chance of rain.
Having gone out again before taking his place in the pitlane, Gasly says: "It felt better this lap."
However, there's further drama for AlphaTauri as Tsunoda's car is pushed off the grid and into the pitlane, a nightmare scenario for the team which won here last year.
All are starting on mediums other than Hamilton, Kubica, Bottas and Gasly who are all on hards. A seemingly strange choice for the world champion. "That's a weird choice from Lewis," agrees Leclerc.
Alpha Tauri reveals a brake issue for Tsunoda.
They head off on the formation lap, all getting away cleanly.
The grid forms.
The lights go out. They're away!
Good starts for the McLaren pair and Leclerc, while Verstappen is just a little slow.
Ricciardo leads into Turn 1, while Hamilton gets ahead of Norris exiting the second part of the chicane. Around Curva Grande Giovinazzi is alongside Leclerc.
Hamilton and Verstappen go into the second chicane side-by-side and inevitably touch wheels, Hamilton going across the chicane... in the melee Giovinazzi also cuts the chicane and on rejoining the track is clouted by Sainz and spins, hitting the barrier in the process and losing his front wing.
The VSC is deployed as Giovinazzi's wing in retrieved.
"He pushed me wide," complains Hamilton.
As the VSC is withdrawn, Ricciardo leads Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Stroll, Alonso and Ocon. Bottas is up to 15th.
Verstappen closes on Ricciardo while Hamilton harries Norris and Perez is all over Sainz.
Gasly retires, meaning that both Alphas are out.
No investigation necessary of that opening incident involving the title rivals. However, they are investigating the Sainz/Giovinazzi clash.
After 5 laps, Ricciardo leads by 0.716, while Hamilton is 0.629s down on Norris who is 2.694s behind Verstappen.
"It's really hard to get close," says Verstappen. He is told to wait for an opportunity.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Monza, here.
Ricciardo has two laps times deleted for exceeding the track limits at the Parabolica, while Giovinazzi gets a 5s time penalty for an "unsafe rejoin".
"Hamilton is struggling when he gets close," Norris is told, as Bottas moves up to 13th after passing Russell.
A bold move sees Perez pass Sainz through the Curva Grande on the run to the second chicane. As a result the Mexican is up to 6th.
Hamilton is advised that some medium runners are already suffering deg.
Bottas sweeps by Ocon for 11th.
At the start of lap 12, Hamilton makes a move on Norris on the run to the first chicane, however, the McLaren driver holds him off. The world champion continues to attack on the run to the first chicane, but again Norris has the edge.
No such issues for Bottas as he passes Latifi and into the points.
"I'm using a lot of tyre trying to do this, warn a slightly breathy Norris.
As the Norris/Hamilton battle continues, they lose touch with the leaders and actually fall into the clutches of Leclerc.
A big wheel banging moment for Vettel and Ocon at the second chicane. "He's giving me no space," shouts the German. The incident has been noted.
"So far I'd say Plan A at the moment," says Ricciardo, while the team is dithering between Plans A and B for his teammate.
"It's always the same gap," says Verstappen, "it's impossible to get closer." Nonetheless, the Dutch driver has a 6.1s advantage over his title rival.
Both Ricciardo and Verstappen report that they are losing rear grip.
"Warning that his rears are starting to take a "bit of a hit", he is advised that this is the case across the field.
Ocon gets a 5s time penalty for his clash with Vettel.
"Your lap times are still as good as anyone," Ricciardo is told as Verstappen suns over the kerb at the first chicane as if to prove his issues.
"OK, definitely Plan A," says Ricciardo.
Bottas passes Stroll on the pit straight as if the Aston Martin was stationary.
At the end of lap 22, Ricciardo pits. He rejoins in 7th. "They're doing the undercut," Verstappen is told as Vettel also pits.
"Keep the pressure on, it wasn't a super quick stop for McLaren," Verstappen is told. "Yes but my tyres are f*****," he replies.
The Dutchman subsequently pits but it's a dreadful stop, almost 11s.
He rejoins in tenth! A disaster for Red Bull as in the meantime Hamilton had passed Norris at the first chicane.
Latifi also pitted.
As Norris pits at the end of lap 24, Hamilton leads Leclerc, Perez, Ricciardo, Sainz, Bottas, Stroll and Norris as the McLaren driver rejoins 1s ahead of Verstappen.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 25, the Briton rejoining in 7th as Stroll also pits. Indeed, the world champion rejoins just ahead of Verstappen... they are side-by-side into the first chicane, they collide. The Red Bull, having hit the kerb on the inside of the corner, clashes wheels with the Mercedes and is launched into the air and subsequently rides over the Mercedes as they head into the gravel, finishing up with its rear on top of the Mercedes.
"That's what you get if you don't leave any space."
The safety car is deployed and as a number of drivers take the opportunity to pit, among them Leclerc, Ricciardo is leading Leclerc, Norris, Perez, Sainz, Bottas, Stroll, Alonso, Russell and Latifi.
Needless to say, the incident is being investigated.
Replays reveal just how scary that was, as the Red Bull flew into the air and then landed on the Halo, Hamilton utterly helpless as he looked up.
The safety car is withdrawn at the end of lap 30.
"Go on maximum attack," Bottas is told.
Ricciardo lets lose and behind him, into Turn 1, Leclerc and Norris almost clash. The Briton goes around the outside of the Ferrari in Curva Grande to make it a McLaren 1-2.
It's like Jean-Louis Schlesser in reverse for McLaren.
Perez is involved in an incident with Leclerc and passes the Ferrari, but is subsequently told to hand the place back. At the other end of the field, the Haas pair clash (again).
Suddenly the race has sprung to life.
Bottas passes Leclerc and sets off after Perez, in the process posting a new fastest lap (24.827).
The Finn is on mediums, while the three ahead - Ricciardo, Norris and Perez - are on hards.
"He needs to pick up the pace," Norris says of the race leader, his teammate.
Ricciardo is told to be "as quick as possible till the end of the race". Surely easier said than done.
At the start of lap 37 (of 53) the leading four are covered by just 2.18s.
Perez is given a 5s time penalty for gaining an advantage following his off whilst battling Leclerc. All of which takes the Mexican out of the equation... but not as far as Bottas is concerned, for the Mexican remains an on-track obstacle in the Finn's pursuit of the McLarens.
Sainz closes in and suddenly the leading six are covered by 5s.
Mazepin is given a time penalty for causing a collision with his teammate.
"You think it's best for us to stay like this?" asks Norris. "Lando, best for us," he is told.
A big lock-up in Turn 1 suggests Bottas' tyres are giving up the ghost.
After 43 laps, it's: Ricciardo, Norris (+ 1.4s), Perez (+ 0.8s), Bottas (+ 0.5s), Leclerc (+ 1s), Sainz (+ 0.9s), Stroll (+ 3.2s), Alonso (+ 1.2s), Russell (+ 1.7s) and Ocon (+ 1.3s).
Bottas makes a brave move on Perez at the second chicane, and almost makes it stick, but the Mexican holds him off.
The VSC is deployed as Mazepin has parked up at the Ascari Chicane.
As the car is pushed to safety, the race resumes.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Monza, here.
"Daniel has been told to pull away, let's stay with him," Norris is told.
On the pit-wall, Andreas Seidl watches the closing laps, the German showing no signs of the anxiety he must surely be experiencing.
"All we've got, all we've got," Perez is told, his team aware that though third his time penalty will currently see him drop to 5th.
Stroll is under investigation for failing to slow under yellow flags.
As Ricciardo begins his final lap, he leads his McLaren teammate by 1.636s. This is a famous victory for the Woking team and a tremendous boost for the Australian.
The Australian takes the flag, ahead of Norris, Bottas, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Stroll, Alonso, Russell and Ocon.
In a further twist, Ricciardo posts the fastest lap of the race (24.812) on the final lap.
Wow! Once again we return to 1988, an afternoon when Ayrton Senna had it in the bag, only to collide with Jean-Louis Schlesser, thereby handing Ferrari a famous 1-2, just weeks after team founder Enzo Ferrari had passed away.
Famously, that was the only race that season that McLaren didn't win.
Today, McLaren has scored a surprise 1-2, while this is the first DNF of the year for Hamilton, who previously was the only driver to complete every racing lap. Intriguingly, today is also the first 1-2 for any team this season.
Once again it's a somewhat freakish result, but surely nobody would begrudge Daniel, Lando or McLaren.
A race that was so mind-numbingly processional was suddenly turned on its head by an incident that will dominate the headlines for days to come.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of that clash we will leave for another day, for today belongs to McLaren - celebrating its first win in 9 years - and Ricciardo celebrating his first win since Monaco 2018.
"Starting from the back, it's never easy," says Bottas. "I'm glad we get to get more points than Red Bull, we maximised and from my side, it was good fun."
"We've had a pretty awesome weekend," says Norris. "We've been working towards this and we got a 1-2 finally.
"I'm happy for of course Daniel for getting the win," he adds. "You want to go for it, but I'm also here for the long term, for the team and it could have ended up like the other guys."
"Can I swear?" Ricciardo asks MC, David Coulthard. "I want to swear. No... about (ahem) time," he laughs.
"It went well for me yesterday and even if we got the start, was never a guarantee we'd hold the whole race.
"To lead literally from start to finish, I don't think anyone expected that. There was something in me on Friday, I knew something good was to come."
The Australian with Italian heritage, subsequently talks to the crowd in Italian.
Quite how Ross Brawn is going to spin this into being the result of the Sprint remains to be seen, but whatever way you look at it this was probably a defining moment in terms of the 2021 season.
The Hamilton/Verstappen clash was an accident just waiting to happen, and happen it did. While we await the official verdict, and the opinion of all those involved, here, at a track that has witnessed more than its fair share of tragedy, we can be thankful that the world champion emerged unscathed.
Over the years, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza has witnessed triumph and tragedy in almost equal measure, the ghosts that can be sensed here will no doubt celebrate McLaren's victory, whilst calling on the sport to heed today's incident for fear of repeating the mistakes of the past.