The F1 returned back after its summer break with a bang at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium last weekend – literally. After taking a much-needed breather from the last race in Belgium, the intensity only continues to build as we gear up for this weekend’s race in Italy!
The race at Spa last weekend saw Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel take the full 25 points, while Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen came across the line in second and third place, respectively. With Force India nearly causing a major upset, Vettel’s Ferrari proved too powerful for Hamilton as he failed to capitalise on his pole position. Some big names on the grid ended up having to retire from the race, as a major crash wiped out a quarter of the field. Renault’s Nico Hülkenberg braked too late on the opening corner and hit Fernando Alonso hard from behind which launched the McLaren up and over Charles Leclerc’s Sauber. Due to this, Alonso ended up hitting Daniel Ricciardo’s rear wing, who then skidded into Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen.
This was a big win for Vettel and Ferrari, as it closes the gap to just 17 points between him and the current Drivers’ Championship leader, Lewis Hamilton who leads with 231 points. It’s all to play for ahead of this Sunday’s main event at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, as we look into the history of the event and exactly what you can expect when you tune into the action. So, read on as Karting Nation gives our preview of the 2018 Italian Grand Prix.
What Time Does The Italian Grand Prix Start?
With a time difference of +1 hour when compared to UK time, you can expect the racing action to commence at the reasonable hour of 14:10 this Sunday, 2nd September, so if you were looking forward to a Sunday morning lie in, you can certainly do just that. Prior to this, the first practice round kicks off at 09:55 on Friday 31st August, followed by qualifying at 13:55 on Saturday 1st September.*
History of the Italian Grand Prix
Every single Italian Formula One Grand Prix since 1950 has been held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza – in the Italian city of Monza, north of Milan – except in 1980, when the race was held at Imola, San Marino instead. So you could say that Monza is certainly the home of Italian motor sport – something which the Italians take very, very seriously. With a capacity of nearly 114,000, the Monza track is certainly a fan favourite on the F1 calendar.
The modern Grand Prix circuit at Monza measures up to 5.793km (3.6 mi) in total, as the drivers complete 53 laps in total – which equals an overall race length of 306.720km (190.595 mi). With a total of 11 turns, this track certainly puts the drivers to the test in both skill and speed. Exemplifying this, the race lap record is currently held by Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello of Brazil who clocked a rather impressive time of 1:21.046 back in 2004. This famous track really has seen it all, as it combines both speed and skill with an unrivalled heart and soul of its own. There’s a reason why the Italians call it ‘La Pista Magica’- the magic track!
In terms of repeat winners of the Italian Grand Prix, German legend Michael Schumacher has managed to claim top spot on the podium a total of five times in this particular event. Behind him with four wins in total for the Italian Grand Prix is Brazilian legend Nelson Piquet and Mercedes’ own Lewis Hamilton, which means that a win for the current British driver would put him right in the Italian history books.
Who Won The 2017 Italian Grand Prix?
Adding to his already impressive win tally at Monza, Lewis Hamilton was able to emerge victorious in the previous edition of the Italian Grand Prix – retaining his pole position to cross the line with a total time of 1:15:32.312. It proved to be a good day for Mercedes last year, as teammate Valtteri Bottas finished the race in second place just +4.471 seconds behind the Brit, having started the race in sixth position on the grid.
Last year, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel claimed the final space on the podium with a time of +36.317. The German driver is no stranger to the podium at Monza, having won this event a total of three times throughout his career in 2008, 2011 and 2013. One more win and he’ll be level pegging with his closest rival at the moment, Lewis Hamilton. But last year,the race saw Lewis Hamilton – and Mercedes – claim the bragging rights that time around, as Ferrari’s dropped points caused them to slip further away in the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Who Is Likely To Win The 2018 Italian Grand Prix?
As the back and forth between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel continues in fierce fashion, it will take something special from any other driver if they were to claim top spot on the podium this Sunday afternoon.
Having missed out on the full 25 points on offer in Belgium last week, Hamilton will be looking to bounce back and claim the victory in Monza. This wouldn’t come as a surprise however, as Hamilton has managed to do just that four times since 2012.
However, with Sebastian Vettel breathing down his neck in the Drivers’ Championship, he’ll be keen to close the gap even more – and this weekend’s race in Italy is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Fernando Alonso of McLaren is also no stranger to the podium at the Italian Grand Prix, having won the race twice back in 2007 and 2010. However, with the sheer presence of Mercedes and Ferrari lighting up this year’s calendar so far, it can be hard to see the Spaniard making it onto the podium this time around.
Final Thoughts
As always, Karting Nation can’t wait for this weekend’s action on the circuit to commence. When it comes to all things racing, we’re always up for it!
You’ll need to tune in for yourself to find out who is able to claim victory this weekend. Sunday 2nd September at 14:10 BST is when the main event commences. Although, you could also watch the qualifying at 13:55 on Saturday 1st September too – discovering who can earn themselves the all-important pole position! It’s sure to be an action-packed event. So, make sure you don’t miss out!
*All times are in UK time.