Monza was supposed to be Russell’s big opportunity to claw back points, with Antonelli taking new power unit components and starting from the back of the grid.<\/p>\n
Instead, it took Antonelli barely more than 15 laps to climb to second behind Russell and join the fight for victory. His pitstop interrupted that battle, but Antonelli came back and took the lead anyway. His first overtaking attempt was a little clumsy, but there was simply no stopping him on Sunday.<\/p>\n
– Oleg Karpov<\/p>\n
Monza exposes McLaren<\/a>\u2019s weaknesses<\/p>\n McLaren couldn\u2019t make it three in a row. The Woking-based team arrived at the Italian Grand Prix on the back of two consecutive victories, with Lando Norris<\/a> triumphing in Hungary and the Netherlands, but the team always knew\u00a0Monza would be a crucial test for the MCL40.<\/p>\n Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Oscar Piastri, McLaren<\/p>\n Photo by: Andy Hone\/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n The Hungaroring and Zandvoort, with their abundance of medium-speed corners, are very different challenges to the Temple of Speed, where long straights and chicanes place very different demands on a car. That is why Andrea Stella had warned that replicating McLaren\u2019s recent form in Italy would be, at the very least, a tall order.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for McLaren, that warning proved justified, as the MCL40 failed its Monza test. It remains to be seen whether qualifying could have produced a different outcome had the team \u201cexecuted at the level we should have,\u201d as Stella put it. But in the race, neither Oscar Piastri<\/a> nor Norris was able to mount a serious challenge on Sunday.<\/p>\n – Federico Faturos<\/p>\n Ferrari<\/a> debriefs are starting to get interesting<\/p>\n As the championship unfolds, and Lewis Hamilton<\/a> remains in contention for the world title, the friendly facade at Ferrari appears to be showing a few cracks. While not overtly demanding priority, Hamilton wasn’t all that subtle when he questioned why the Scuderia isn’t maximising its chances to compete for the drivers’ title, ergo backing the seven-time world champion.<\/p>\n Coincidence or not, Charles Leclerc<\/a> appeared to be racing his team-mate extra hard at the start of Sunday’s race, taking little effort to leave space on the outside of Turn 2 as Hamilton threatened to pass him.\u00a0Monza’s first chicane is particularly tight, but as Kimi Antonelli showed in the background, it is possible to keep the momentum with a tighter line through Turn 2 without drifting all the way towards the exit.<\/p>\n Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari<\/p>\n Photo by: Eric Le Galliot<\/p>\n There wasn’t a whole lot wrong with\u00a0Leclerc’s move in itself, and perhaps it would have been applauded if a Red Bull, Mercedes<\/a> or McLaren had been on the receiving end. But not another scarlet Ferrari.<\/p>\n The Scuderia is under huge pressure to put up a competitive display in front of its demanding tifosi, and Hamilton temporarily dropping to ninth could have significantly scuppered his race. As it happened, Leclerc caused his own downfall with a crash at the end of Lap 2.<\/p>\n Heading into next week’s race in Madrid, it appears as though team principal Fred Vasseur will have some lecturing to do if he wants to keep his two aces on the straight and narrow.<\/p>\n – Fil Cleeren<\/p>\n Another costly mistake exposes Leclerc’s Achilles’ heel<\/p>\n Nobody with even a basic understanding of Formula 1 can question Leclerc’s speed. His Achilles’ heel, though, is becoming increasingly clear: every now and then, he crashes.<\/p>\n It happened again at Monza on Sunday. In front of the Ferrari tifosi, Leclerc lost control and threw away a genuine chance of fighting for the podium.<\/p>\n Charles Leclerc, Ferrari<\/p>\n Photo by: Alex Bierens de Haan \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n He has made high-profile mistakes before, including at Monza in 2020 and at Monaco. Yet he also won at both circuits in 2024 – proof of just how good he can be when he gets it right.<\/p>\n There will be plenty more standout performances from Leclerc, but the costly mistakes remain – at a time when the gap to Lewis Hamilton this season is already bigger than Ferrari would have wanted.<\/p>\n – Jose Carlos de Celis<\/p>\n Alpine’s victory bid was too good to be true<\/p>\n Pierre Gasly<\/a>‘s sensational pole was as unexpected as it was impressive – especially as it came entirely on merit. Yes, he benefited from a slipstream, but there was no changeable weather or interruption to shake up the order. Gasly was quick throughout qualifying and delivered a stunning lap when it mattered.<\/p>\n![\"Franco](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/franco-colapinto-alpine-oscar-.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Lewis](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788717494_846_lewis-hamilton-ferrari.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Charles](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788717495_959_charles-leclerc-ferrari.jpg\")
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