Charles Leclerc thrilled Ferrari supporters by winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza for the second time, following his success in 2019. Leclerc fought off McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to take the win, nearly 38 seconds clear of struggling champion Max Verstappen in sixth.
Leclerc’s clever choice to pit only once on lap 16 and switch to hard tyres proved critical. Unlike his competitors, who pitted twice, Leclerc managed his tyres effectively and held the lead until the conclusion. McLaren had anticipated Leclerc and Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz, who finished fourth, would make a second pit stop, but the plan did not work out.
Oscar Piastri got an early lead following a spectacular overtaking of Norris, but it was unable to stop Leclerc. Despite finishing third, Norris, who started on pole and set the best lap of the race, was able to cut Verstappen’s championship lead to 62 points with eight races remaining.
Verstappen’s recent form has been in sharp contrast to his early-season dominance, with no wins in the previous six races following seven winners in the first ten. His pursuit for a fourth consecutive world title is now seriously jeopardised.
