53 laps of the 5.793-kilometre Autodromo Nazionale Monza 30th August Practice 1 12:30 - 13:30 30th August Practice 2 16:00 - 17:00 31st August Practice 3 11:30 - 12:30 31st August Qualifying 15:00 - 16:00 1st September Race 14:00 - 16:00 All times are UK times Poll closes before Quali.
Intriguing weekend. Ferrari usually dial up the PU for Monza and take a bit of risk with it, so in quali they should be very quick. The race let’s see. Red Bull have been strong here in recent years and should once again be up there with Max. McLaren haven’t had a low downforce spec for Monza for some time, but this year they do- so a good test for McLaren progress here especially in the Constructor fight. Mercedes, excellent here in the early hybrid era, have had a tricky couple of years but this years car does look like it is beginning to come alive to high speed circuits, so will Lewis win in Monza before arriving in red next year? Feel like Visa RB or a Haas car could surprise here too in quali.
Seems the iconic Monza kerbs have gone, which may help RedBull, but has massively changed the character and decreased the challenge of the circuit.
Oops! Kimi Antonelli sticks it in the wall in FP1. Strange, it all looked ok until it suddenly wasn’t. Not the best start. Parabolica claims both Antonelli and Bernd Mylander this weekend. I wonder if it’s catching people out for a reason. The new surface?
Well that doesn't ease my doubts about Mercedes pushing Antonelli for too much too fast. Obviously he's got a ton of potential, but perceptions will linger if he has a bad rookie season next year. Doubly so if Mercedes produce a title contending car.
Norris with pole over Piastri with George third. Lewis 6th 2 tenths off pole. Win is between Mercs and the Macs, Verstappen more than 6 tenths off pole
If my maths is right, converting this grid to the race result would be enough for McLaren lead the constructors tomorrow
Well there it is. Red bull looks want at top speed and looks to me to be sliding so will eat tyres. This is the one norris must win and the law needs to be laid down over night. No contact at the start and stay in formation. Sorry Oscar but you got your win and now we are going for two Championships and you cannot win the drivers. A 1/2 here would be massive. Red bull having an implosion of going backwards would be very nice. However the two ferrari not hitting each other or Russell not brain farting will also help. Verstappen 7th and norris 1st would be massive. 19 point swing right now. Take the bonus point for fastest laps and it becomes exactly 50 points or 2 dnfs.
I think perez will do well to score points here. Macca will take the lead if Russell doesn't brain fart and take half the grid out.
I expect Max will make up places. He ****ed his fresh tyre lap through Ascari, but the Red Bull pace isn't as bad as Q3 makes it look. McLaren will certainly be a hell of closer if they manage this sensibly though.
I just hope McLaren have sorted out the start procedure as Lando can't seem to get a decent getaway without lots of wheelspin.
Today is the day Oscar needs to pay it back in spades. Do not pass, keep 2nd. let lando go. I hate when they admit they don't know what strategy is best. It's clear you go hard and change tyres where there's a good gap and no risk. Thry are not racing max today.. he will go backwards eating tyres. React to.russell.
I feel like they will all be looking for rain and trying to run as long as possible here. Hopefully tyre wear takes it out of their hands here.
Piastri attacked Russell there. When attacked norris and forced. Him backwards and then cost him 2nd with le clerc Absolutely playing into red bulls hands.
