F1® is desperate for an American driver to help boost the sport’s popularity in the States. But should the rules be bent to allow Colton Herta onto the grid without a superlicence? F1 journalist and broadcaster Chris Medland joins hosts Matt Clayton and Michael Lamonato to talk through the background to the Herta story (02:10), what Nyck De Vries’ debut for Williams at Monza tells us about the depth in European talent (10:14), if Jack Doohan is a chance to race for Alpine if Pierre Gasly sticks with AlphaTauri (17:31), and suggests ways to fix the grid confusion caused by mass engine and gearbox penalties (20:36).
Charles Leclerc started on pole at Ferrari’s home race but Max Verstappen sent the Italian fans home disappointed by claiming another easy win. Featuring Lewis Larkam, F1 editor, Crash.net.
If the Italian national anthem is played but no-one can hear it, did the Italian Grand Prix really happen?
Max Verstappen romped to an easy victory at the Italian Grand Prix after Ferrari gambled away Charles Leclerc’s lead on a two-stop strategy.
Leclerc had got away from pole position easily to control the first part of the race while Verstappen worked to recover from seventh on the grid. The Dutchman dispatched the task rapidly, rising to third after two laps and second on lap 5, but he couldn’t close down Leclerc for the lead. Both drivers were on the soft tire, on which their cars were equally suited.
The pit window was expected to open at around lap 18 for an early one-stop strategy, but on lap 12 Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin expired in a puff of smoke, forcing the German to park by the side of the road.
Continue reading on RACERCharles Leclerc has taken a popular pole position at the head of a jumbled grid at the Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari had the single-lap pace on both laps, with Carlos Sainz taking provisional top spot ahead of Leclerc at the end of the first runs despite carrying a back-of-grid penalty for the race.
Max Verstappen rebounded in his second run to put himself within striking distance of pole with a fastest middle sector.
Continue reading on RACERMax Verstappen has the pace in third practice for the Italian Grand Prix, beating Charles Leclerc by 0.347s seconds.
Verstappen’s best time of 1m 21.252s came late on the soft tire, but his previous quickest lap on the medium compound would still have been quick enough for third, just behind teammate Sergio Perez’s best soft-compound lap and ahead of Carlos Sainz.
Leclerc, however, remains favorite for pole position given Verstappen, Perez and Sainz will all serve grid penalties on Sunday – though Verstappen’s drop is worth only five places, keeping him comfortably in victory contention.
Continue reading on RACERCarlos Sainz topped second practice at the Italian Grand Prix despite incurring an additional grid penalty for Sunday’s race.
The Spaniard went quickest with fresh softs after a brief red-flag suspension at the half-hour mark to collect Mick Schumacher’s stopped Haas, which was parked by the side of the road at the Roggia chicane with an engine problem. The Spaniard’s best time, a 1m21.664s, was 0.143s quicker than Max Verstappen’s fastest effort, the Dutchman’s top time coming shortly before the suspension.
Both drivers will take penalties, with Sainz being sent to the back of the grid thanks to a new control electronics system installed between practice sessions, while Verstappen will lose just five places, as has already been confirmed.
Continue reading on RACERCharles Leclerc led a Ferrari top-two sweep in first practice at the Italian Grand Prix as several drivers had grid penalties confirmed for taking new engine parts, including title leader Max Verstappen.
Leclerc’s fastest lap of 1m 22.410s was enough to edge Carlos Sainz by just 0.077s on their respective fresh soft-tire runs. For Sainz, however, the weekend program will fast change to long-run setup, with the Spaniard due to serve a penalty of at least 20 grid places for taking some new engine parts and a fresh gearbox.
Sainz also drew the ire of George Russell — who was third in the order and 0.279s off the pace — when he appeared to slow down through the Roggia chicane with the Briton closing at rapid speed from behind him, although they avoided contact.
Continue reading on RACEROur resident F1 expert and F1 journalist joins Sportsday.