Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc takes victory at 2024 F1 Italian GP

• Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won the 2024 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix
• Leclerc gambled with a one-stop strategy
  
• Reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing still leads the championship

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took victory on Sunday at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix after managing to make his tires last longer than anyone else, while also fending off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Piastri finished second, roughly two and a half seconds behind Leclerc, while Norris with a bonus point for the fastest lap finished six seconds behind to take third. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth while Mercedes-Benz AMG’s Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.

Norris started the race at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on pole and was joined at the front of the grid by Piastri, while Leclerc started back at fourth. When the lights turned green both McLaren drivers were off the line quick and they would fight wheel to wheel over the first few turns, enabling Leclerc to catch up. Sainz was also able to move up after Mercedes’ George Russell ran off the track immediately after the start.

The tussle between the McLaren drivers allowed Leclerc to jump ahead of Norris and move into second place. However, Leclerc’s Medium tires were soon starting to experience degradation, and he was eventually undercut by Norris to be back in third place. Leclerc then made a switch to Hard tires on lap 15 and proceeded to drive on them to the finish, unlike the McLaren drivers who were both on a two-stop strategy.

The gamble paid off as Leclerc, once back in the lead, held a consistent pace which put him out of reach of Piastri and Norris. Sainz wasn’t as lucky. He was also on a one-stop strategy, though he was passed by both McLaren drivers, having helped his teammate by fending off Piastri as best he could.

It was a tough day for Haas as both drivers were penalized for separate incidents. Nico Hülkenberg received a 10-second penalty for causing an accident that ended RB driver Yuki Tsunoda’s race.

Later, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen attempted a move down the inside of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly but the two drivers came into contact after Magnussen’s brakes locked up. Magnussen was given a one-race ban for the incident.

And rookie Franco Colapinto in his F1 debut finished a respectable 12th for Williams. Colapinto has replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams for the remainder of the season.

Following the weekend’s action, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen still leads the 2024 Drivers’ Championship with 303 points. Norris is second with 241 points and Leclerc is third with 217 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 446 points. McLaren is second with 438 points and Ferrari is third with 407 points.

The next race on the calendar is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sept. 15.

Below are the full results from the 2024 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix:

1) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
2) Oscar Piastri, McLaren +2.664 seconds
3) Lando Norris, McLaren +6.153 seconds
4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +15.621 seconds
5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-Benz AMG +22.820 seconds
6) Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing +37.932 seconds
7) George Russell, Mercedes-Benz AMG +39.715 seconds
8) Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing +54.148 seconds
9) Alexander Albon, Williams +67.456 seconds
10) Kevin Magnussen, Haas +68.302 seconds
11) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +68.495 seconds
12) Franco Colapinto, Williams +81.308 seconds
13) Daniel Ricciardo, RB +93.452 seconds
14) Esteban Ocon, Alpine +1 lap
15) Pierre Gasly, Alpine +1 lap
16) Valtteri Bottas, Sauber +1 lap
17) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas +1 lap
18) Zhou Guanyu, Sauber +1 lap
19) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +1 lap
NC) Yuki Tsunoda, RB – DNF