Charles Leclerc delivered a thrilling win for Ferrari at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, delighting the passionate Tifosi crowd with a gutsy one-stop strategy that paid off in the end. The Monegasque driver crossed the line 2.6 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Lando Norris completing the podium in third.
Leclerc, who won at Monza in 2019, made a strong start from second on the grid, passing Norris for second on the opening lap as Piastri surged into the lead. Ferrari then rolled the dice, opting for a bold one-stop strategy with both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, while the McLarens of Piastri and Norris pitted twice.
As the race progressed, Leclerc managed his worn tires brilliantly, fending off a charging Piastri in the closing stages to secure a famous victory for the Italian team in front of their adoring fans. The Tifosi erupted in celebration as Leclerc took the checkered flag, his second triumph at Monza.
After the race, Leclerc described just how he felt with the win: “An incredible feeling. I thought the first time would feel like this, and the second time, if there was one, it wouldn’t feel as special.
“But my god, the emotions in the final laps – just like 2019. Incredible.”
Norris, who started from pole, had to settle for third, though he did claim an extra point for setting the fastest lap. Sainz finished a strong fourth on his 30th birthday, while Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes, ahead of Max Verstappen in sixth.
Despite McLaren’s failure to win the race in Italy, the podium finish for both drivers earned enough points for the team to just be eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ standings, while Norris is 62 points behind Verstappen on the leaderboard.
The victory marks Ferrari’s second win at their home circuit in the last 14 races and a much-needed boost for the team as they look to close the gap to runaway championship leader Verstappen in the second half of the season, as they, too, are now less than 40 points from Red Bull in the team standings and Leclerc is 24 points behind Norris in third place.
