KaizorPenguin said:
Now that the second half of the season is well underway, these next few races are crucial for anyone hoping to beat Sebastian Vettel to the Drivers' Championship. After Spa, Fernando Alonso seems to be emerging as the main threat. He will be hoping to put on a show for Ferrari's passionate home fans, and to finally start closing the points gap to Vettel.
Even if the end result might not turn out to be what people are hoping for, we will still get to see Formula 1 cars attack one of the best and most historic tracks in the world.
NHale said:
While anything is still possible until the end, the last European race of the season can very well be the coronation of Sebastian Vettel as a 4-time World Champion. In the past Red Bull has not been as fast in Monza as in other tracks but since the change in the tyres compounds, they recovered their past domination and if that remains in Monza, it is expected that other teams will just quit development of the 2013 car and allocate their resources to the very important 2014 car, especially considering the rest of the tracks in the calendar were usually very favorable to Red Bull even when Red Bull didn't dominate.
Ferrari would be delighted to stop the unstoppable Vettel at home and offer a great result to their fans but as it seems they would need a little help from the Monza ghosts.
2012 Race Summary
Felipe Massa made a great start to pass Jenson Button for second place. He pulled alongside pole sitter Lewis Hamilton going into the first chicane, but Hamilton had the inside line and was able to stay ahead. Fernando Alonso was able to make his way up from 10th to 7th place by the end of the first lap, and passed Kimi Räikkönen for 6th going into the first chicane on the second lap.
On lap 4, Sebastian Vettel passed Michael Schumacher under braking into the first chicane for 4th place. One lap later, Bruno Senna attempted to pass Nico Rosberg around the outside into the first chicane. Senna turned into Rosberg, they banged wheels, and Senna went straight through the chicane to take 11th. Fernando Alonso was able to pass Schumacher coming out of the Parabolica on lap 7.
On lap 8, Bruno Senna tried to pass Paul di Resta on the outside going into the second chicane. Di Resta moved over, forcing Senna onto the gravel. Senna went straight through the chicane and back onto the racing line right in front of Mark Webber, who dodged around him as they entered the first Lesmo corner. On the next lap, Jean-Éric Vergne had a right rear suspension failure under braking into the first chicane. He spun and slid sideways over one of the curbs, launching his car into the air over the chicane.
Jenson Button retook 2nd place from Felipe Massa in the 2nd chicane on lap 19.
Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel pitted at the same time on lap 21, and came out right behind Massa with only a car's length separating each of the three. Lewis Hamilton pitted on lap 24, allowing Sergio Pérez, who hadn't pitted yet, to take the lead from 2nd.
On lap 26, Fernando Alonso tried to go around the outside of Sebastian Vettel through Curva Grande. Vettel moved to the outside, pushing Alonso off the track and onto the gravel. The move was similar to a move Alonso pulled on Vettel the year before, but this time Vettel was given a drive-through penalty. Alonso was able to pass Vettel on lap 29, and the drive-through on lap 35 put Vettel in 9th place behind Webber.
Lewis Hamilton retook the lead from Sergio Pérez on lap 29. Pérez pitted on the next lap and came back out in 8th place. Jenson Button retired on lap 34 following a sudden loss of fuel pressure. This moved Felipe Massa back up to 2nd with Fernando Alonso and Sergio Pérez gaining on him. Massa was passed by Alonso on lap 40, and then by Pérez three laps later. Pérez quickly chased down Alonso and passed him on lap 46.
Sebastian Vettel retired on lap 47 with a failed alternator. On lap 51, Mark Webber clipped the curb on the exit of the Ascari chicane and spun. He fell out of the point-scoring positions and retired due to severely flat-spotted tires.
Lewis Hamilton won the race, with Sergio Pérez, who started 13th, in second and quickly catching him. Fernando Alonso completed the podium, having started 10th.
[Click for Onboard]
Laps
53
Circuit length
5.793 km (3.600 mi)
Race length
306.720 km (190.596 mi)
Lap Record
Rubens Barrichello - Ferrari - 2004 - 1:21.046
Most Wins (Drivers)
Michael Schumacher (5)
Most Wins (Constructors)
Ferrari (19)
Previous Winners & Pole Positions
2012 -
Winner: Lewis Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes
Pole: Lewis Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes - 1:24.010
2011 -
Winner: Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull Renault
Pole: Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull Renault - 1:22.275
2010 -
Winner: Fernando Alonso - Ferrari
Pole: Fernando Alonso - Ferrari - 1:21.962
2009 -
Winner: Rubens Barichello - Brawn Mercedes
Pole: Lewis Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes - 1:24.066
2008 -
Winner: Sebastian Vettel - Toro Rosso Ferrari
Pole: Sebastian Vettel - Toro Rosso Ferrari - 1:37.555
2007 -
Winner: Fernando Alonso - McLaren Mercedes
Pole: Fernando Alonso - McLaren Mercedes - 1:21.997
2006 -
Winner: Michael Schumacher - Ferrari
Pole: Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren Mercedes - 1:21.484
2005 -
Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya - McLaren Mercedes
Pole: Juan Pablo Montoya - McLaren Mercedes - 1:21.054
Video Highlights
Highlights from the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.
Changes from 2012
-The leading edges of the kerbs at the apex of Turn 1 and 4 will be longer, to avoid the possibility of a car being launched when crossing them.
-The kerb at the exit of Turn 6 will be extended by 20m in order to prevent damage to the grass verge.
-At the exit of Turn 10, the kerb and artificial grass will be extended by 50m.
-The section of guardrail just before the opening on the drivers left at Turn 1 will be replaced by a wall.
GP Facts
-The Italian Grand Prix has featured on the calendar every year since the world championships inception in 1950. The race has been held at Monza each time, save for 1980 when the event was run at Imola as Monza was being refurbished.
-Of the current drivers, just three have won at Monza. Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso are the only current multiple winners, with two apiece, while Lewis Hamilton won last year.
-At the 2008 race, Sebastian Vettel, driving for Toro Rosso, became the sports youngest ever pole position man and followed it up by driving flawlessly in heavy rain to become F1s youngest race winner at just 21 years of age. Previous record holder Fernando Alonso was 22 when he won the 2003 Hungarian GP.
-Only once has the race been won from further back than 10th on the grid. That was Peter Gethins famous 1971 win, when the top five finishers were separated by just 0.61 seconds.
-Force Indias Adrian Sutil made the only front-row start of his career so far at Monza in 2009. The German qualified second behind Lewis Hamilton and raced to fourth. Its his only top-10 Italian GP finish so far.
Drivers Championship Standings
Constructors Championship Standings
Fantasy Championship Standings
