CHARLES LECLERC TAKES STUNNING ITALIAN GP WIN AS LANDO NORRIS DEALT F1 TITLE BLOW

Charles Leclerc claimed a stunning victory at the Italian Grand Prix to the delight of Ferrari’s home fans – and the dismay of Lando Norris.

Norris started on pole at Monza as he looked to close the gap in the championship to Max Verstappen but another poor start saw him drop to third after the first lap.

The other McLaren of Oscar Piastri lead the majority of the race and looked on course for the victory after staying ahead of Norris after his second pitstop.

But the Ferraris decided to boldly go for a one-stop strategy and while the McLarens were able to pass Carlos Sainz in the final few laps to get on the podium, Leclerc was too far ahead.

Sir Lewis Hamilton came home fifth, with Verstappen sixth, and after Norris also bagged the fastest lap bonus point he has cut the gap to his title rival to 62 points with eight races remaining.

But it could have been more, with the British driver visibly gutted by the result.

‘Oscar caught me by surprise as he got past,’ he said post-race.

‘I don’t know what I could have done differently. If I brake a metre later, I probably would have crashed.

‘It’s something we will look at but Ferrari drove a better race, particularly Charles.

‘We considered a one-stop strategy the whole race but it was not possible with the amount of graining I had. We are disappointed but Ferrari drove a better race.’

The Italian Grand Prix is of course Ferrari’s home race and Leclerc, his team and the fans in the grandstands were naturally jubilant, with this the driver’s second win of the year after his home race in Monaco and the seventh of his career.

‘It is an incredible feeling. I thought the second time, if there was a second time, would not feel as special as the first, but the emotions over the last few laps were the same,’ Leclerc said having previously won at Monza in 2019.

‘I want to win Monza and Monaco every year and I have managed to do to. It is so, so special.

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‘Our package was working well on a track like Monza but whether it will be the same for the rest of the season I doubt. I still think McLaren are favourites but we have done a step forwards, that’s for sure.

‘Baku is a pretty nice track for me, so maybe we can achieve something special there [at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next time out].’

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2024-09-01T15:00:33Z dg43tfdfdgfd