Analysis of the 2022 Italian Grand Prix – By Joe Murphy
Max Verstappen is potentially one race away from a second consecutive World Championship after yet another win this season, this time in Monza. He claimed his first victory at the track and, despite the boos, fans could hardly deny it wasn’t fully earned. Nevertheless, there was controversy and drama as there is every race, so let’s delve into it.
Mighty Max’s Momentum shows no signs of stopping…
In the last three races, Max Verstappen has won races from unfavourable starting positions. He has taken penalties and still come out on top. What’s worrying, for everybody else at least, is that it was easy. The late Safety Car may have teased that it was going to make things interesting, but don’t forget that the Dutchman was around sixteen full seconds ahead of second-placed Charles Leclerc and was holding him there despite being on worn medium tyres compared to the fresh softs on the Ferrari. In its simplest terms, the Red Bull is a much superior car. However, that’s not to take away from the World Champion Elect, as his teammate Sergio Perez struggled in comparison. In a season that plhas the potential to go to the wire, all of Ferrari’s mistakes this season are coming back to bite them. As for Max, he is on the brink of joining an exclusive club.
Alex Albon’s brush with death as de Vries brings his career to life…
On Friday, Williams and Formula 1 revealed that Alex Albon was ill and would therefore miss this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. At the time, that wasn’t seen as anything serious. However, the former Red Bull driver actually stopped breathing and was in an ICU ward for a duration. Thankfully, he seems to be on the mend and recovering nicely, although it is not yet known whether or not we will see him in Singapore. His replacement though, won the coveted Driver of the Day and added two points to Williams’ lowly tally. It was an impressive drive from former Formula E Champion Nyck de Vries and shows that he has the potential to play a part in the sport’s future. The Mercedes protégé out-qualified his teammate and, thanks to penalties, started eighth. He then took advantage of the misfortune of others to capture points despite being passed by the much quicker Sainz and Hamilton as the race progressed. A solid debut, for the young driver.
Poor Vettel (and Ricciardo)…
You could hear the desperation in Sebastian Vettel’s voice as his race came to a premature and abrupt end this past Sunday. After narrowly missing out on a Q3 appearance, the German had made a positive start before eventually being forced to retire. It was a case of double trouble for Aston Martin too as they orchestrated Lance Stroll to also pull into the garage capping a rather miserable weekend. On current pace and reliability, it seems as if the Constructor needs to keep an eye behind them regarding the standings rather than on the teams just ahead. For Daniel Ricciardo, it was a similar story. A complete failure of his car caused by a suspected leak ended his chances of points for McLaren when they were all but guaranteed. He just can’t seem to catch a break right now and it’s almost as if both parties are counting down the days until the end of this unproductive partnership. It is worth noting that the Australian has kept Pierre Gasly and his teammate, Lando Norris, behind him for practically the entire race with some superb defensive driving.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have good Sundays…
Whilst it wasn’t quite the haul of points Mercedes have been spoilt with in recent Grand Prix, it was still a good weekend for both of their drivers. Another podium for Mr Consistent George Russell and a superb recovery drive from Lewis Hamilton who started at the back of the grid meant that Toto Wolff’s team made the most of what could have been a disastrous round of track action. Ferrari may have extended their narrow lead ahead, but it could have been much worse. Whilst Red Bull may prove too much of a challenge, the Silver team can take solace in how this weekend unfolded. They could be in a strong position when Formula 1 rolls round to Singapore for the next event.
Should we have ended behind the Safety Car?
Ah, the killer question. It’s funny from someone who is genuinely a total neutral regarding Hamilton, Verstappen and Leclerc, I have seen both sides of the argument in full swing. It appears as if Mercedes and Hamilton fans are looking back and questioning why the outcome of this race wasn’t the same as the one we saw in December. Furthermore, I’m seeing Red Bull and Verstappen fans happy that the race ended as it did in Italy. Now, would the race have been more interesting and dramatic had it been a red flag restart? Yes. However, does that mean it would be right? No. Formula 1 needs a full rules change if this is to become the norm but on the current and past rules singing from the same hymn sheet, we should not be forcing races to end in an entertaining way for the sake of it. Martin Brundle described the situation as highlighting the “painful” debate within the sport at this moment in time. Hard to disagree following Sunday’s viewing.
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