The Italian Grand Prix, the fourteenth race of the Formula 1 World Championship, will take place on the Monza circuit on Sunday 2 September 2018. After an exciting Belgian Grand Prix, Scuderia Ferrari arrives at Monza with the intention of recovering further points in the standings against Mercedes in the Constructors' World Championship. The same goes for Sebastian Vettel, who with the victory won at Spa is getting closer to Lewis Hamilton, after two not exactly lucky races, due to the accident he was the author of in Germany, and a race below expectations in Hungary. The recent victory at Spa leads one to think that the Maranello team could also triumph at Monza, given that the characteristics of the two circuits are very similar. For this race, Pirelli, the sole tire supplier, brings medium, soft and supersoft compound tyres. There will be two areas in which the use of the Drag Reduction System is permitted: the first on the straight of the pits, with the point for determining the gap between riders established before turn 11 (Curva Parabolica), and the second on the straight before the Variante Ascari, with a detection point located before turn 7 (second turn of Lesmo). This second section is lengthened, compared to the 2017 edition. On the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, however, the Federation decides to review the activation zones of the DRS, for five of the last eight grands prix of the season. At Monza, McLaren decides to replace the chassis on the car of Fernando Alonso, who suffered a major accident in the previous Belgian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso is also still in pain, but he still participates in the race. Red Bull Racing has two new engines available for the race: a Renault-TAG Heuer Spec C engine will be mounted on Daniel Ricciardo's car, therefore the driver will be penalized with the loss of the starting grid position, while for Max Verstappen it is expected Spec B. Following the accident at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, Nico Hülkenberg was penalized ten places on the starting grid. Former Formula 1 driver, American Danny Sullivan, is appointed assistant commissioner for the race. The latter has also performed this function in the past, most recently at the Monaco Grand Prix. In Friday's first practice session Lando Norris took over from Stoffel Vandoorne at McLaren.
In the rounds preceding the Italian Grand Prix, the Federation communicates the first draft of the calendar, for the 2019 season. The twenty-one races remain confirmed, including the German Grand Prix, which will still be held in Hockenheim, questioned over the months previous. The season would start on Sunday 17 March 2019, in Australia, and conclude on Sunday 1 December 2019, in Abu Dhabi. The confirmations of the German race and the Japanese Grand Prix (the latter until 2021) are also facilitated by the sponsorships, respectively of Mercedes (with a payment of 3.000.000 euros) and Honda. moreover, the FIA decides to modify the positioning of the camera cars placed on the single-seaters, which have lost visibility since the introduction of the Halo. Finally, the French company Michelin decides not to participate in the tender for the supply of tires for the championship in the period 2020-2022, while the South Korean company Hankook has shown interest. On Thursday 30 August 2018, Lewis Hamilton will not be present at Monza on the first day of activities dedicated to the media and fans. Hamilton will also skip the traditional meetings with the press. Not summoned by FOM for the official press conference, the Briton will not appear at the media session originally scheduled for 4:05 p.m. inside the Mercedes hospitality. The Anglo-German team has in fact updated its calendar, cancelling the meeting with Lewis Hamilton,and moving from 4:25 p.m. at 4:05 p.m. the one with Valtteri Bottas. But the center of attention is obviously the Scuderia Ferrari, which often took advantage of the scenario of the Italian Grand Prix to announce the drivers for the following season. At stake is the place of Kimi Raikkonen, very shaky at the beginning of summer, but then returned in favor of the Finn after the series of podiums conquered before the break, and the sudden death of president Sergio Marchionne. It is possible that this weekend will pass without an official communication from Scuderia Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc who does not yet appear completely cut out in terms of 2019. During the press conference, the two directly involved did not make any statements regarding their future next. A possible divorce between Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen could open the door to a sensational return of the Finn to McLaren.
The British team, in fact, announces that the decision on Carlos Sainz Jr.'s teammate will be made by the end of September. There are many names that are joined by that of the Spaniard, but several candidates in recent days are waning: from that of Esteban Ocon, shelved at the moment due to the excessive height of the French driver, to that of his teammate, Sergio Perez , who appears to have already signed a renewal of the contract with Force India for new owner, Lawrence Stroll. The prices of Lando Norris remain high, and we will see him in action on Friday morning with the MCL33 during FP1. For Esteban Ocon, a work plan was already ready that would have brought him to McLaren. The French admitted to having gone to the McLaren headquarters to carry out the seat test, thus putting Stoffel Vandoorne's position at risk. However, Ocon himself confirmed the rumors about the alleged negative outcome of the seat test.
"It's true that I went there and it's true that it happened".
The reason? The 186 centimeters in height which would prevent him from driving an MCL33 originally designed for Alonso's 1.71 meters and Vandoorne's 1.77 meters. In short, after losing his seat in Renault (the signing was practically a done deal, before the Lozenge veered on the Ricciardo coup) another particular situation hinders the career of a driver who has already fully demonstrated his qualities on the track. The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff explains:
"In Budapest we thought his future was clear, but everything changed within 48 hours. There is nothing to complain about because Renault should have jumped at the opportunity to sign Ricciardo. The situation was unfortunate for Esteban, but we are continuing to help him find a seat. There's a lot of interest in him and I'm optimistic about the future".
A sensational development could be the situation involving another driver currently under contract with Ferrari: we are talking about Daniil Kvyat, hired by the Maranello team as a development driver after he left the Red Bull Racing orbit. Red Bull Racing, or rather Scuderia Toro Rosso, could re-engage the Russian driver next season. The team from Faenza is currently without drivers for 2019: Pierre Gasly will be promoted to Red Bull Racing in place of Daniel Ricciardo, while Brendon Hartley will hardly get a reappointment, given the poor results obtained this season. For Daniil Kvyat it would be the third chapter with the Italian team, after the 2014 season and the 2016-2017 two-year period, when he was relegated from Red Bull Racing to make way for Max Verstappen. At Spa, Maurizio Arrivabene met Christian Horner and Helmut Marko to talk about this very possibility. Franz Tost, team principal of Scuderia Toro Rosso, says about this perspective:
"There are several names under discussion, but no decision has been made so far. So let's wait and Red Bull will make the announcement".
Even Antonio Giovinazzi's arrival at Scuderia Toro Rosso cannot be completely ruled out, although the track that leads to Sauber-Ferrari remains more viable for the Italian driver. The Swiss team has set October 15, 2018 as the deadline for announcing the 2019 riders, immediately after the Japanese Grand Prix. It is not clear whether Antonio Giovinazzi's future was discussed during the meeting in Spa, while as far as Daniil Kvyat is concerned, the prospect appears much more realistic. As mentioned, Sebastian Vettel's future teammate in Ferrari does not yet have a first and last name. Kimi Raikkonen, smiling at the press conference, says:
"My future? It's not up to me, ask the team. I don't know, we'll see. Certainly nothing will be said these days, I enjoy the weekend of each race, the rest not so much. I doubt that the passion inside me will fade".
The Finn will surely enjoy the atmosphere that the Monza weekend presents, waiting to find out if he will still have a chance in 2019, as a Ferrari driver or not:
"I got on the podium a couple of times at Monza, my goal is always to improve and get the most out of it. Winning here is definitely special for the public, for the team every race is nice to win but here more. Being a Ferrari driver means having a special push from the fans".
Sebastian Vettel took his first success in Formula 1 at Monza, in 2008, at the wheel of the Toro Rosso powered by the Ferrari engine. For the German, that Sunday is the sweetest memory as a Formula 1 driver. Now, however, the goal is to be able to take victory at the wheel of the SF71H.
"The first win here in Monza is the best memory I keep, but I want an even better one. For us here it is a different story than all the others, we are in Italy, the country of Ferrari, I think that for everyone there is the possibility of perceiving that something special is happening this weekend, where Kimi and I have the most special, even if the others are still heavy. I would like to join the club of those who have won here with Ferrari. I've already won with an Italian car powered by Ferrari, what's certain is that then I won with other colours and they didn't celebrate me like before. Now I hope to win with Ferrari. It's nice to be able to be a worthy opponent for Mercedes, they've had engine domination in recent years. Now it's nice that they recognize us as the best, but we have to confirm it on the track right from Monza".
Scuderia Ferrari is the great protagonist of the Formula 1 event in the Darsena, with the drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen taking to the track, and the team principal Maurizio Arrivabene who speaks on the stage of the F1 Milan Festival. The Italian manager promises maximum commitment, and reveals that a triumph at Monza would be a dream.
"It was right for us to get closer to the people by coming here for the fans. We'll have a great responsibility on Sunday, but with this crowd - the twelfth man on the pitch - we'll feel more protected and helped. The articles of these days are especially pleasing for the boys, but we are not ahead in the two championships. Head down and full speed ahead. The home race is important regardless of the previous victory. For us it would be a dream, it would be nice to give our people the Grand Prix trophy. The responsibility has always been there, and having won at Spa there is more pressure. But these are the races and we're used to them".
Arrivabene proudly underlines the goodness of the team, which he describes as strongly Italian:
"As Mattia Binotto said some time ago, this is a young team that is maturing. It took some time, and today we are reaping the results. This is everyone's Ferrari, we have many people who are part of the track team who are also working right now. The guys from the foundry, the electronics, the frame and engine builders, they are our rock stars. Everyone wants it, and you know what I mean. It is important to focus race by race. As soon as a grand prix passes, you have to analyse what went wrong and try to improve. We have to think race after race. Last year's lesson was to learn to work specifically on each circuit".
The Scuderia Ferrari team principal says the whole team is motivated to give their all, determined to put Mercedes in trouble:
"We are still behind in the standings, we have to put this in our head. If you win a race, you haven't won the championship, and that's our goal. We must be aware, and we must put pressure on those who have the same car as the Safety Car. They are not used to it. In recent years we kept our heads down, we took punches left and right, but we always got up. We are used to. They don't, so the speech made to the kids is simple: let's keep them under pressure. Sooner or later, by the time we reach them, we're the bad ones, we're the ones who took them, we know how much it hurts. Now it's time to give her. We don't go to Monza to lose. When things go wrong, I'm sorry for the team, because they always go on track to win".
For his part, the principal team of Merdedes, Toto Wolff, admits that the Mercedes team comes to Monza with the idea of having to defend itself:
"Ferrari proved to be stronger in all aspects at Spa, from pure speed to tire management. Only a bit of luck allowed us to increase our lead in the constructors' championship. Over the course of this season, the role of car to beat has fluctuated between us and Ferrari and we will leave no stone unturned in our attempt to defend the leadership in both classifications".
Monza was usually a hunting ground for the Mercedes team. But this time it won't be like this:
"It will be difficult to repeat the 2017 double. To fight for the win, we have to take a step forward in terms of performance. Ferrari proved to be very fast on the straights, a main characteristic of the Monza track. We will fight with everything we have at our disposal".
The first practice session takes place on a wet track on Friday 31 August 2018. Fastest was Force India's Mexican driver, Sergio Pérez, with a time set at the end of the session as track conditions began to improve. Sergio Pérez precedes Kimi Räikkönen, who completes a high number of laps in order to collect more useful data, to make up for the technical difficulties suffered by his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, at the gearbox. Force India confirms its speed, placing Esteban Ocon in third place, while the New Zealand driver of Scuderia Toro Rosso, Brendon Hartley, is fourth. Max Verstappen spun at the Curva Parabolica. Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, was the fastest during FP2, which took place on a dry track. The German also seems very competitive in the race simulation, before going off the track at the Curva Parabolica. The German driver leads his teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, less than 0.3 seconds behind. Behind the two cars of the Maranello team are the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Force India also confirmed their competitiveness, with Esteban Ocon and Sergio Pérez respectively in sixth and seventh position. At the beginning of the session, Marcus Ericsson had a big accident, with the Sauber driver unable to close the DRS at turn 1 (Variante del Rettifilo). The car swerves to the left, hitting the barriers, then blows up and rolls over. The pilot remains unharmed, and continues regularly over the weekend. The Swede's car, on the other hand, is rebuilt on Friday night. The power unit is also replaced: this entails a grid penalty for the Swedish driver. After the afternoon rehearsals, the first sums of the work done during the day begin to be drawn. Sebastian Vettel is among the drivers satisfied with the work completed, despite the track conditions not being optimal in the morning, and an accident that involved him in the afternoon:
"This morning I was able to ride a little, but the afternoon was good. The balance of the car isn't perfect yet, but for tomorrow we can work and fine-tune the car. I don't know what the weather will be like tomorrow, but the car works well. There was a small problem with the car this morning, I wanted to run but we had to check the car. It was very positive to have done quite a few laps in the afternoon. I touched, maybe I pushed a little too much. The car is fine, I'm not very satisfied, it can be improved. I think we can do better for tomorrow, but the car is going, the car is working, let's see tomorrow. I think we have the potential to do better for tomorrow, rain or no rain, let's do our homework and then see".
Scuderia Ferrari seems to be ahead of the Mercedes team at the moment. Furthermore, the conditions encountered during FP1 did not help the Anglo-German team to improve. Lewis Hamilton argues:
"In the first free practice session we didn't have much to do because of the weather, I almost dozed off in the car at moments. In the afternoon we were able to make up for lost time and we did a great job. As we expected, Ferrari is faster than us both in terms of race pace and in terms of qualifying. We have to try to refine the car during the night to try to have our say. We are working hard as never before, we will give it our all".
Valtteri Bottas is the driver who most disappointed among the top four, but found a positive side of his car compared to the Belgian Grand Prix, held in Spa:
"Out of the slow corners we seem to suffer less than in Spa, the weather for tomorrow is uncertain, we have to be ready for anything. Ferrari was quicker than us, but above all in terms of qualifying we can make progress".
Speaking, however, of the possible team orders that could arrive during the weekend, the Finn replies that he is ready to do what will be asked of him:
"It's an obvious situation. It's the best thing for the team, which is clearly trying to win both titles and I certainly understand them. No rider wants to be in that position, but if the situation is such that it will no longer be possible for me to win the title, because the gap in the standings will widen further, then I'll be willing to help".
In the past, when Nico Rosberg was in place of Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes had always treated their drivers equally, but in 2017 Ferrari got very close and since then the Anglo-German team's strategy has necessarily changed. On more than one occasion, the Finnish sod stepped aside to favor his more famous teammate, and both the fans and some insiders didn't like it, so much so that he coined the unpleasant nickname of butler . Despite this, Valtteri Bottas believes the team will always treat him fairly against Lewis Hamilton:
"If I were to have the pace to win the race - at Monza this weekend - and if thanks to my speed I was close to doing it, I'm sure the team would take it into consideration and evaluate the situation. In any case, I don't think I'll completely lose the freedom to win a race if I'm in a position to do so. It just depends on the situation, i.e. whether there will be a clear way to avoid stealing points or making Lewis lose them. I trust the team, they have a lot of respect for me and for both riders, so I don't think they would do anything wrong if that were to happen".
As can be seen from the times recorded during practice, Red Bull will have to face serious difficulties on the Monza circuit. Max Verstappen says, at the end of FP2:
"It was fine today, the same conditions for everyone. Luckily we had a second session without rain where we could try a few things. In qualifying with dry conditions, I think we're too slow, but on long runs it seems more positive. I don't think it will be enough to really be in the fight".
However, the Dutch driver is happy with the behaviour of his car, on a very difficult track for Red Bull:
"From a car point of view, the behavior was good, so obviously I'm happy with this. But this is definitely the worst track for us, I don't expect miracles and we'll try to make the most of it. I don't think it's necessary to proceed with a different tire strategy tomorrow as both compounds performed very well".
The young driver, discovered by Helmut Marko, concludes his speech by explaining that he does not know whether or not the C specification of the Renault engine will be used:
"I don't expect any problems and we'll just have to try to get the best possible qualification. I don't know yet if we'll use the Spec-C engine tomorrow, we'll decide tonight when we look at the data. We just have to keep pushing and try to improve our car and then we'll see where we are".
His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, sixth at the end of afternoon practice, also says he agrees with the Dutchman regarding the gap in qualifying, but he is much more optimistic about the race:
"This afternoon we looked more competitive on the long runs, but on the short ones Ferrari were really quick and we still have a big gap to Mercedes. We have certainly closed the gap on the long runs, which is promising for the race, but there is still some performance to be found. I used the new Spec-C engine for the first time and it seemed to work well. We won't really know how it performed until we look at the data, but we had a decent ride this afternoon and hopefully it will show some good numbers".
The Australian admits that he could save the engine in view of the race, and is pleased with the conditions of Marcus Ericsson, who emerged unscathed from the frightening accident that occurred during the day:
"Tomorrow I probably won't race much and it's likely I'll miss qualifying since I'll start from the back anyway. I think that on Sunday we will have a good enough car to make a comeback. To be honest, it's good to see Marcus [Ericsson] is fine because it was a big crash and a concern for all of us".
Fernando Alonso also welcomes Marcus Ericsson's state of health, and says:
"Today was a strange Friday, with the rain in the first session and Marcus (Ericsson) crashing in the second session - thank God he's fine - so, like everyone, we lost some time. We missed a couple of runs that we had planned, including some long runs, so we'll try to make up for that tomorrow and get that data. I think we more or less confirmed today that it will be a difficult weekend for us as a team in terms of performance, and tomorrow we will try to do a better job".
Fernando Alonso is not yet 100% after the accident that involved him at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, but he praises the Federation for the improvements on the safety front:
"After Sunday's crash, sometimes I still feel a bit of pain in my hand and back in some corners, so when I'm out of the car I try not to stress them too much. I think Sunday everything will be fine. Last but not least, I want to say well done to the FIA, which has done an extraordinary job over the years to improve safety".
Even Stoffel Vandoorne, slower than Fernando Alonso during practice, agrees with the Spaniard on the lack of competitiveness of the cars of the glorious English team:
"I don't think there will be miracles for us here this weekend, we expected it to be difficult and I think the tests have already confirmed that it will be tough for us. We'll see what we can do tomorrow. I like this track, I have a good history here in the different series I've raced in before, so I usually like to come here and race".
Finally, Lando Norris, the McLaren test and reserve driver, vying to replace Stoffel Vandoorne in 2019, comments on his day, which saw him enter the track briefly during FP1, despite the wet track:
"Today I had some fun, even if I wasn't able to race as much as I would have liked. It happens sometimes and in the end I was still happy. I saw what it feels like in a race weekend and again what it feels like to compare yourself to Fernando, which is very nice for me. It was still a good session for us, even if we didn't complete many laps. We did some aero tests: some for 2018, some for next. We tried as many things as possible without compromising anything for this weekend. The team learned quite a few things today, and of course I learned a lot too".
In Monza, inevitably, there is talk of the driver market, and the possible replacement of Kimi Raikkonen with Charles Leclerc. Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur, when asked about it, does not rush Scuderia Ferrari.
"We could choose first, but the line-up is important, the combination is an important element and knowing who the riders are is always much better. I'm not putting pressure on Ferrari at all, rather the media are putting much more pressure on them".
The French manager then recalls that one must not act in haste and that this year the transfer market started a little earlier than in the past:
"I don't know when they confirmed Kimi last year, I think he was far ahead in the season... it's not that since Ricciardo changed teams, we all have to decide in a week. If you look back, it's quite early, in the last few years at this point in the season, practically nothing had been decided".
Vasseur believes that his team should take things slowly, and focus on the next appointments without too many worries:
"We have to stay calm, and focus on the current races. I'm trying to send both the riders and the team in the right direction, it's not easy. When at a certain point all the pieces of the puzzle are on the table, a deal has to be made".
On Saturday the 1st of September 2018, FP3 takes place on a wet track still in some places, but without the presence of rain. Sebastian Vettel sets the fastest time, ahead of Lewis Hamilton by just 0.081 seconds; in third and fourth place are the two Finns Kimi Räikkönen and Valtteri Bottas. Sebastian Vettel's time is better than the one that earned Valtteri Bottas pole position in 2017. The two Red Bull drivers achieve very different results, with Mac Verstappen fifth and Daniel Ricciardo only eighth. Nico Hülkenberg suffers from problems with the DRS, closing practice with the penultimate time. Qualifying, like FP3, takes place in hot weather. The track, unlike in the morning, is completely dry in all its points. The drivers, however, with the danger that the rain will reappear on the track, decide to tackle the track immediately. Kimi Räikkönen sets a time of 1'20"796, before being beaten by Sebastian Vettel, who laps in 1'20"542. The Mercedes score the third and fourth fastest times, with the two Red Bull Racings behind the Anglo-German cars, with a small margin of disadvantage. The battle for access to the next stage involves Sauber, Williams and McLaren: all the drivers of these teams improve in the final stage, except Marcus Ericsson. Sergej Sirotkin sets the sixteenth fastest time, eliminating Sergio Pérez by 0.001 seconds, and Charles Leclerc, by just 0.002 seconds. Not even Brendon Hartley, Marcus Ericsson and Stoffel Vandoorne make it to Q2. In the second phase, Lewis Hamilton set the first reference time, lapping in 1'19"798, very close to the track record (1'19"525 set by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2004). But shortly afterwards Sebastian Vettel set a time better by just 0.013 seconds. With less than three minutes left in the session, all the drivers returned to the track to try to improve their times, except Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg, who will be penalized on the grid due to the replacement of various power unit components. Lewis Hamilton does not improve his time, unlike Sebastian Vettel who sets a time of 1'19"629. Lance Stroll takes seventh position, then beaten by the French Romain Grosjean and Esteban Ocon. The other French driver, Pierre Gasly, sets the tenth fastest time. Fernando Alonso tries to take advantage of Kevin Magnussen's slipstream on the straight, but the two drivers almost collide. The Dane is eleventh, and is eliminated, like the Spanish McLaren driver. Already often controversial in the past with Kevin Magnussen, at the end of practice Fernando Alonso will say, referring to the Danish Haas driver:
"We were all grouped but with well-defined positions. But he decided to overtake me before starting the flying lap… We were together and it went as it did. There are riders in many categories and then there is Haas. They have the third or fourth best car on the grid but are out of Q3. I got there in Q2, it was one of my weekend goals so it doesn't make much difference to us being eliminated. I guess it's different for them. In any case it's fine. It was fun, very fun".
Kevin Magnussen's answer will not be long in coming:
"I don't know what he's talking about. He's clearly frustrated, he always tries them all. In every qualifying he always asks his teammate for a slipstream, but here it simply didn't work. He thought he had the perfect slipstream behind me, and he thought he could overtake me and gain time. I wasn't willing to let him pass and sacrifice my lap. In no way. He thinks he's God. He came up to me after qualifying and laughed in my face. Really disrespectful. I can't wait for him to retire".
The other drivers who do not access the decisive phase are Sergej Sirotkin, Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo. In Q3 Sebastian Vettel immediately lowered the track record, before being beaten, in turn, by Kimi Räikkönen and, immediately after, by Lewis Hamilton. Then follow Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr.. For the decisive lap, the Mercedes drivers get back on track before the Scuderia Ferrari drivers. Lewis Hamilton managed to improve, lapping in 1'19"294. But shortly after, Sebastian Vettel set a time of 1'19"280 and Kimi Räikkönen finished his lap in 1'19"119, taking pole position. For the Finn it was the eighteenth and last start in first position, the second at Monza after the one conquered in 2006.
For Ferrari it is the twentieth pole position conquered at the Italian Grand Prix and the twentieth conquered at the Monza track: no manufacturer has ever conquered so many pole positions on the same track. Räikkönen is the highest lap average achieved by a driver during a qualifying session in the history of the World Championship (263.587 km/h), and also represents the new Monza track record. ) had been scored by Juan Pablo Montoya, and had been resisting since 2004. The satisfaction for the Scuderia Ferrari fans present at Monza is indescribable. Perhaps many would have hoped that Sebastian Vettel could conquer the pole position, who is in the running for the victory of the world title. But all in all, the fans of the Maranello team think that a front row won by their drivers could be enough to aim for victory in the Italian Grand Prix. Concludes the rehearsals, Kimi Raikkonen says:
"Clearly it's a great feeling, a beautiful job in view of tomorrow. I couldn't have chosen a better place to take pole, my home Grand Prix in front of all our fans. Let's hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow, so that we can close in the same position. The fans are always on our side, and let's hope tomorrow goes as well as today. I haven't heard from the crowd, but we know we have a lot of fans here and scoring one-two for Ferrari is great, but as I said it's only half the job done, tomorrow is the second part and we hope to bring home another great result".
Raikkonen - to whom Mick Schumacher presents the trophy for pole position - goes on to say:
"In the end, if our team could be chosen, this is probably the best place to take pole position. We have come close many times but in the end we have always lacked something. The second attempt was more than decent and sufficient for pole position. Clearly the position on the track also counts, because there are slipstreams and there were several cars one behind the other. But in the end what I did was enough, the car worked very well, the conditions were tricky, but we changed the car in the right way and everything has been pretty smooth up to this point and let's hope that tomorrow the situation will repeat itself. Clearly it's the first pole, it's a special feeling. We always try, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it's not as simple as seeing it on TV. I think that everything went pretty well all weekend, despite the variable conditions. In any case I was always close. Today it was my turn, I'm glad I succeeded, nothing changes, because tomorrow we have to finish everything".
All in all, Sebastian Vettel, who will start second, is not entirely dissatisfied:
"It's great to see all this support along the track. I think it's a great result for the team. I'm not entirely happy with my last attempt, but obviously Kimi was a little too fast for me. Did the slipstream help Kimi? It's always like this at Monza, but honestly I don't know if it was decisive. My lap wasn't perfect, so I can't say anything. The important thing is to have achieved a great team result. I wasn't very happy with what I did on the last lap, and it was the only chance we had to try and get pole. It wasn't a clean lap, the other laps done were better. I lost a little bit in the first chicane and also in the second, just about everywhere , even in the last sector which wasn't fantastic. It wasn't a good enough lap, luckily I did the second fastest time and not the third. Congratulations to Kimi who did a great job, a great lap and it's great to have both machines in the first two positions".
What will be the strategy for the race? Will Kimi Raikkonen let Sebastian Vettel through?
"If he starts from pole, I think he's allowed to win. It's a long race. Obviously he wants to win, but I also want to win. Let's hope that one of us wins".
Vettel does not deny that in the event that the two drivers of the Maranello team have to challenge each other on the track, they will try to be very cautious:
"Fighting your teammate changes things a bit. Clearly you always try to get the best possible result, regardless of the opponent, but you certainly try to avoid contact. As in general then it is done with every car. But with the single-seater from your own team, you really can't afford to have contact".
And Kimi Raikkonen confirms:
"It is no different from other races. Of course we know, as a team, that we can fight, but of course we have to be careful. But even with the rivals it's like that, I don't think anyone would think of taking a stupid amount of risk to damage their car or that of others. It's the same story".
Lewis Hamilton, third in his Mercedes, congratulates his rivals. Even knowing that the Scuderia Ferrari drivers would be faster in qualifying, the British driver tried to do everything possible not to lose contact with his rivals. And he promises battle for the race:
"I think Ferrari have done a fantastic job, we have done everything possible and we have been incredibly close. We have had a good weekend so far. Even if they are ahead, we gave everything and will continue to do so tomorrow. Everyone in the team is working hard, we have come incredibly close. It was a fantastic qualifying, congratulations to Kimi. We knew that this weekend they had the best pace and we needed something special on the fastest lap to catch them up. There was more or less the same distance all weekend between me and them. We hoped to be able to worry them, the first attempt was good, the second was not bad either but I could have done something better. However, the intensity of the session was fantastic, it should always be like this, I had a lot of fun. For the public, this tension is the best, it is the reason for the interest of our sport".
Even the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, congratulates his opponents at the end of a very tight qualifying defined by Lewis Hamilton:
"It was a really exciting qualifying with minimal gaps. In the end in Q3 both Ferrari and us put our cards on the table, Hamilton was fantastic in the first run, but then in the end the reds got the upper hand. Congratulations to them, they have come up with a truly outstanding package".
While Scuderia Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene comments on his team's exceptional result at Monza, finally ahead of Mercedes:
"It's like having obtained a double pole position, it's wonderful, in front of an exceptional crowd. The points, however, are awarded tomorrow, so we must remain calm, serene and smiling".
Arrivabene underlines his satisfaction in having transformed the work of all the men of the Maranello team into an all-red front row. The special mention goes to the technical director, Mattia Binotto:
"I enjoyed qualifying a lot, the boys were very serene. It was a very tight qualifying, I saw a very concentrated, serene team. In the last attempt of Q3 we were each marking with Red Bull and Mercedes, having learned from the first in the second attempt, I'm talking about contrails and whatnot. And I have to say that everyone managed things well with calmness, serenity and concentration. And I must especially congratulate Mattia Binotto, who managed a group of technicians in a fabulous way. There are always team victories, we all work together, let's not forget the composite guys who brought us a winger yesterday and all the guys who are in Maranello. Having said that, points are not made on Saturdays. but it was an immense joy. Have you seen the stands, it looked like a football stadium. As Camilleri said yesterday, we are not here to take the smile off anyone's face, but to give it to those guys up there in the stands, who really pushed us. So from me a hug to everyone. It was a battle between two great teams. Apart from the satisfaction of seeing Kimi deservedly there, let me say that I represent the team, the satisfaction of seeing two redheads in front of this wonderful crowd, I will remember for a lifetime".
Valtteri Bottas is perhaps the driver most disappointed with the qualifying results. The Finnish rider explains why he failed to be competitive this weekend:
"I had a fight with the set-up and in FP3 we found a modification that helped me when cornering, but worsening the feeling under braking. The risk of locking up was too high for me, and on a track like this it's a serious problem. In Q3 I made a mistake in braking at the Prima Variante on the first attempt and so in the second run I didn't risk everything. The weekend isn't over, tomorrow at the start we'll try to take advantage of the slipstream towards the braking section of the Prima Variante".
As for Red Bull, which plays the outsider role in this Italian Grand Prix, qualifying reflected the initial predictions, with Max Verstappen fifth on the starting grid, and Daniel Ricciardo who did not even participate in Q2, being penalized. The Dutch driver says, very honestly:
"This is the most difficult race for us, fifth place was the maximum we could aspire to. There was an engine step, maybe a tenth and a half, but it wasn't noticeable on a track where we suffer too much. Tomorrow I'll try to take advantage of any fight between the Ferraris and the Mercedes, if there's an opportunity we'll have to be good at taking advantage of it." Daniel Ricciardo will be able to enjoy himself in a difficult comeback on an engine track: "I didn't overload the engine too much today, I'll need it fresh tomorrow. Being a one-stop race, there won't be much to invent, you'll need to brake late at each corner".
With these premises, the race is awaited with further interest, which could see Sebastian Vettel win. Furthermore, with a possible one-two finish from Scuderia Ferrari, the German driver could get even closer to his rival, Lewis Hamilton, who leads the World Championship with 231 points, against the German driver's 214. The same goes for Scuderia Ferrari, which could catch up with the Anglo-German team in the standings in the Constructors' World Championship, lagging behind by just 15 points.
On Sunday the 2nd of September 2018, at the start of the Italian Grand Prix Kimi Räikkönen resists the attacks of Sebastian Vettel, who, in turn, is attacked by Lewis Hamilton, at the Variante della Roggia. The two drivers come into contact, with the German damaging the nose, ending up in a spin, and being forced into the pits. The race direction sends the safety car onto the track, also to allow the movement of Brendon Hartley's Toro Rosso, which was also damaged by a contact at the start. The race resumed on lap four, with Hamilton going into the first Räikkönen chicane, but able to retake the lead at the second chicane. Behind the first two are Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Romain Grosjean, Carlos Sainz Jr., Esteban Ocon and the two Williams. In the following laps Vettel, who fell to last place after the contact, and Ricciardo, who started penultimate, begin their comeback. The German overtook the Australian on lap nine, and by lap 14 he was already in the points. Ocon, meanwhile, passed Sainz Jr. for sixth place. On lap 18 Vettel also passes Sergio Pérez for eighth position, while, two laps later, he takes seventh place, overtaking Sainz Jr.. On lap 20, the Mercedes mechanics go out to change tyres: Kimi Räikkönen enters the pits to avoid to benefit its direct rival, Hamilton. After the Ferrari driver's stop, which lasted just 2.2 seconds, the German team's mechanics returned to the garage, with Hamilton continuing in first place. Vettel, after overtaking at Ocon and Romain Grosjean's stop, is fifth, right behind Räikkönen. Now Räikkönen is behind Bottas, with Max Verstappen stopping for a break on the twenty-sixth lap. Two laps later it was Hamilton's turn, while Vettel chose lap 29 to mount supersoft tyres. Valtteri Bottas leads the standings, followed by Räikkönen, Hamilton, Verstappen and the two Force Indias. After the second stop Vettel is seventh. On lap 36, the other Mercedes driver, Bottas, also stopped for a break. Räikkönen climbs to first place, while Bottas is now fourth.
Sebastian Vettel passes the two Force Indias, positioning himself in fifth place. In the final laps Hamilton, with fresher tyres, got close to Kimi Räikkönen, now in crisis with the rear tyres. On lap 42, Bottas attacked Verstappen for fourth place, at the first chicane. The two come into contact, with the Finn having to travel the internal route. For this contact, the race direction penalized the Red Bull driver by 5 seconds, which will be added to the race time. On lap forty-four Lewis Hamilton took the lead again, passing Kimi Räikkönen at the first chicane. After the 53 scheduled laps, Lewis Hamilton won the Italian Grand Prix, followed by Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas, who thanks to Max Verstappen's penalty climbed to third place, despite failing to pass the Dutchman in the closing laps of the race. Sebastian Vettel is fourth, followed by Max Verstappen, classified in fifth position, then Esteban Ocon Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz Jr., Lance Stroll and Sergej Sirotkin. At the end of the race, following a complaint from Renault, the FIA disqualified Romain Grosjean (who finished sixth) due to an irregularity found at the bottom of his Haas. The decision will be confirmed by the Paris Court of Appeal on Friday 2 November 2018. Those expecting an easy victory for the Scuderia Ferrari at Monza are disappointed: not only did the two drivers from the Maranello team fail to triumph in front of their fans. The disappointment derives from the fact that the Mercedes team managed to win the Grand Prix and to do so with Lewis Hamilton, who thus increases his lead in the standings, after Sebastian Vettel in the previous Belgian Grand Prix had given the idea of being able to recover the lagging behind its rival. Instead, the British driver managed to subvert the odds and win the Italian Grand Prix. After the race, Lewis Hamilton says:
"First of all, I want to recognize the merits of Ferrari, they gave us some thoughts this weekend. It was a very tough battle and I want to thank the guys in the team, and those who are at home, because without their commitment it would not have been possible today. They always believed in me and they continue to do so. There was a lot of negative atmosphere today, but I also saw a lot of British flags here, they know who they are and they inspired me for this race. For every negative there is a positive. I also have to thank Valtteri today . Never give up. Today was really difficult. We have a huge crowd here as always, and the negativity gave me the strength to convert everything into the positive. I accept the challenge they throw at me, but there are so many British flags today and I am those guys who inspired me today, as well as the guys down here. I love Italy, I love the food and the incredible track and to win here is a great honour for me and I have to thank everyone".
And he adds:
"It was a tough race. But I also found it very enjoyable. This season is proving to be one of the best, because it's a very close battle between us and it's been decided by who made the fewest mistakes so far. If we look at the tires, Valtteri managed to do a fantastic job, he managed to extend his stint and helped me bring Kimi back together. The team then did a great job, great pit stops, excellent communication with the guys. And in the end I too showed good form today, and I'm happy with what I did. I wouldn't say today was a miracle, I think that before the race many fans expressed a lot of negativity towards me and this gave me further energy. Above all, even when I see so many British flags around the circuit it gives me additional energy, this could be the miracle. At the Roggia there was a very intense battle. We had similar starts, I had a bit of spinning, then at Turn 1 I was surprised to see Sebastian dive to the left, and when I took Turn 1 there was a little contact between us. And at 4 o'clock we arrived and I saw Sebastian passed inside and then outside Kimi and I saw that it was my opportunity. I tried to keep to the outside as much as possible to find the right line, also because a few years ago I saw that going to the outside I could find the right space. And there was just enough space between us. I guess he blocked a bit, there was contact, it was a very short moment and he damaged his car a little bit. I also damaged it a bit but was able to continue. The rear was moving a little bit".
Thanks to this success, Lewis Hamilton increases his lead, bringing it to 30 points over Sebastian Vettel in the standings in the Drivers' World Championship, a result that is difficult to predict on the eve. Perhaps this is exactly what charged Lewis Hamilton further, author of an extraordinary race.
"As we've seen in the last four races, we weren't the fastest, and it took teamwork to make the difference. We are working as a team, as we have never done before at this level. Valtteri is doing a great job. now he's not fighting for the world championship, and we need to understand the situation... He says if I can help, I'll do it and it takes an incredible character to be willing to do something like that. He is a real man and I am really grateful to him".
Kimi Raikkonen finished second. Despite a very competitive car, the Finnish driver was unable to secure a victory that would have deprived the British driver of important points in the championship. Giving, at the same time, immense joy to the Italian public present at Monza.
"Actually the package was fast, but there was a problem with our rear tire and I couldn't fight. I tried, but it was impossible in the end. Unfortunately, the result obtained today is far from ideal and we gave it our all. Today the rear tire was missing and I had to settle for second place, but we will certainly continue to fight. The speed was certainly there, but then the tire went and I no longer had grip, especially on the left rear. It's hard to accept because we gave everything, there was fantastic support. Look at how many people, how many fans. Thank you very much, it's a pity I didn't win, I'll try next time. I don't think it's the set-up. Obviously the tires didn't last as long as we wanted, there wasn't much left on the left rear. Apart from that, the car was fine, clearly it didn't help me being behind a car for so many laps and with the tires I had left I couldn't manage, and I wasn't even able to keep Lewis behind when he tried to attack me".
Valtteri Bottas finished third after having slowed Kimi Raikkonen's pace during the race, favouring his teammate's comeback and Lewis Hamilton's subsequent victory.
"I tried to do everything possible to get on the podium. My mission was to try and keep Kimi behind for a while and slow him down, but in the end I aimed for the podium and we fought hard - maybe even further - and he got a penalty. Right so. As a team we take this result, we scored more points than Ferrari. Yesterday they were faster and in the end we won. We hope to do even better next time".
The Finnish Mercedes driver could have won the Italian Grand Prix, but he preferred to act as a team man, favouring Lewis Hamilton. As agreed before the start of the race with his team:
"When we analysed all the scenarios for the race, we saw that it was pointless for both of us to try the optimal strategy. It was a positive choice, I wouldn't call it a sacrifice, because the window here is quite large as an opportunity to change tyres".
Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, comments on the great result achieved by Mercedes at Monza, with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas on the podium, also increasing the gap in the standings in the Constructors' World Championship, as well as in that of the Drivers.
"Today the fastest car didn't win and the points are awarded on Sunday and not on Saturday. Hamilton was fantastic, at the chicane he was perfect while Vettel spun. In terms of strategy, it wasn't easy for Ferrari, because with both the overcut and the undercut we would have had an advantage, as we saw later. We had that blistering at Spa, we have to check what happened to Ferrari today".
The big disappointment of the day is Sebastian Vettel, only fourth at the finish line after a race compromised from the start:
"I tried to pass Kimi in turn 1, but it wasn't possible. Also in turn 4 I tried to go left, but my partner extended the braking and I couldn't pass. I stayed there to attack into turn 5, but Lewis saw a gap and squeezed through. I didn't have any more space so I turned around. I thought 'big shit', also because the car got damaged. I tried my best for the team and especially for the fans. All in all I think fourth position is good. It was the first lap that wasn't good for me… Obviously I didn't have any space to pass, Lewis didn't leave me any and I had no alternatives. He got away with it, I had bad luck because I was damaged and spun... Unfortunately, our race went at that moment. In any case it could have been worse because I could have even scored zero points. But there are still many available even if certainly 30 is quite a gap. However there is room for recovery, it's not a drama. This doesn't make our life any easier, but other comebacks like this have been made in the past".
Scuderia Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene comments angrily on what happened in the race, with team orders from the Mercedes team favouring Lewis Hamilton's victory:
"We hire pilots and not butlers. And today, even if we had wanted to give a team order, it would have been impossible from the start. Eventually, we could have given it during the race, but there wasn't time to do it. Then we met a rider, Raikkonen, who had a very, very good race. But when there's only one rider defending against two opponents, it's not easy. I don't look at what others have done, I know what we have done".
The Italian manager spares no criticism even of Sebastian Vettel, guilty of having made a mistake in the race and of never having been in a position to win. Then, the team principal tries to describe in detail what happened during the first lap between Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton:
"It would have been crazy to give orders at the start, too dangerous, so let's forget turn-1. At the Variante della Roggia, if you look at the replay, you can see that the floor of Kimi's car touched a little under braking, Seb widened and was surprised by Hamilton… If we had been in the race with two cars, finishing us sandwich Hamilton, then we could have implemented a different strategy. I tell it like it is, this is the film of the race. But it's not over. The car is certainly not inferior to Mercedes, so let's stay calm as we have seven races to go. Hamilton won the Grand Prix, Kimi did an excellent second place, I wouldn't complain. The end is still a long way off, we must continue with our heads down, without giving up, without ever giving up. There are many points behind, but we've seen that 25 go flying off the track. We have to work focused and calm on our goals, this is important".
Maurizio Arrivabene continues:
"The mistakes can be made by the team or even the driver. But you win and lose together, so it's not like I'm doing the team or driver report cards. Hamilton is very strong, he's a four-time world champion, but so is Sebastian has the same titles. Instead of doing the report cards, let's focus more on what we have ahead of us and what we have to do. We are human beings, we make mistakes, even if it is obvious that a grand prix like this is annoying. There are seven races to go ... Sometimes I've seen the towel thrown away, but on other occasions I've seen great recoveries. We are aware that we have a great car and a great team. We won't give up".
Finally, there is no lack of thanks to the fans present in Monza throughout the weekend:
"I want to thank them all, we asked for their support and they gave it to us 100%. We missed a little something today, but let's look ahead because there are still many races and we won't give up an inch. Obviously it would have been wonderful to give a smile to all these people, but it turned out differently. In any case, we have to thank all the guys in the stands for pushing us all weekend".
In the days that followed, criticisms of Sebastian Vettel were clearly not spared, but above all of the team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, guilty of not having given team orders, to avoid contact between the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers at the start. John Elkann comes to the rescue, confirming his trust in the Italian manager:
"He has a great responsibility, he is supported, and he is part of a single team, like all the drivers and everyone who works at Ferrari. The priority is to carry on the spirit of Enzo Ferrari, who passed away thirty years ago. That team spirit with which we go towards a future to be built and which will be worthy of our glorious past".
Thus ends the Italian Grand Prix, with rumours of a possible replacement of Kimi Raikkonen at the end of the year with rookie Charles Leclerc, the controversy over the failure of Scuderia Ferrari to win on a circuit in their favour, and the lack of concentration by Sebastian Vettel, supported by his fans, but also pointed out by his protesters. The Mercedes team emerges victorious from this situation, masterfully led by Toto Wolff. Who vigorously defends the interests of the team, without leaving freedom to its drivers, or rather to Valtteri Bottas, who is forced by contract to help his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, in all circumstances. A strategy which, as in Monza, is giving the right results.