The Autodromo Nazionale Monza hosted the Italian Grand Prix, which took place on Sunday and served as the fifteenth round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship. The race saw a dominant performance from Red Bull Racing, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen taking the victory and his teammate Sergio Perez finishing in second place. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the podium, finishing over 11 seconds behind the winner.
Verstappen’s win marked his tenth consecutive victory, breaking the previous record of nine wins held by Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher. The young Dutch driver continues to assert his dominance in Formula 1 and strengthen his grip on the championship.
The race started with Sainz on pole position, and he managed to hold off the pressure from Verstappen in the early stages. Behind them, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes-Benz AMG’s George Russell engaged in a battle for third place, keeping the race leaders in their sights.
Verstappen’s relentless pursuit of the lead spot eventually paid off on lap 16, as he forced a mistake from Sainz during Turn 1. Taking advantage of the error, Verstappen overtook Sainz on the outside of the Curva Grande and assumed the lead under braking into Turn 4.
From that point on, Verstappen controlled the race, only temporarily losing the lead during a tire change. He swiftly regained the top spot on lap 25, making use of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) to pass Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Sainz and Leclerc also managed to get past Hamilton, further solidifying Ferrari’s strong showing.
Meanwhile, Perez steadily made his way up the order from his fifth-place starting position. He overtook Leclerc on lap 31 and later passed Sainz on lap 46, securing second place for himself. This left Sainz and Leclerc battling for the final podium spot. However, Leclerc’s major lock-up into the first chicane on the last lap sealed the result in Sainz’s favor.
Following the race at Monza, Verstappen extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 364 points. Perez maintained his second position with 219 points, while Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin jumped to third place with 170 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull Racing maintained their stronghold with 583 points, followed by Mercedes in second with 273 points. Ferrari surpassed Aston Martin to take third place with 228 points.
The next race on the Formula 1 calendar is the Singapore Grand Prix, scheduled to take place in two weeks. The teams and drivers will look to continue their battle for points and victories as the championship nears its climax.
In summary, the Italian Grand Prix showcased Red Bull Racing’s dominance, with Verstappen claiming his tenth consecutive win and setting a new record. Despite starting on pole, Sainz was unable to hold off Verstappen’s relentless pressure. Ferrari had a strong showing with Sainz and Leclerc finishing on the podium, while Mercedes struggled to keep up with their rivals. With each race, the championship picture becomes clearer, and the teams and drivers will undoubtedly be pushing themselves to the limit in the forthcoming races.
