Max Verstappen made history at the iconic Monza circuit on Sunday, September 3, having stormed to a record-breaking tenth consecutive victory in one season, leaving the rest of the grid behind in the dust of his Red Bull rocket ship once more.
Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz started the race in pole position, ahead of Verstappen in P2 and fellow Ferrari man Charles Leclerc in P3. Sainz made the Tifosi proud with a strong start, as he went on to lead the race for 15 laps before Verstappen was able to blast past him.
The speedy Spaniard was then faced with the challenge of defending against the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez, who eventually managed to squeeze past and out of the Ferrari-Red Bull sandwich, with Leclerc looming behind. This left the two Ferrari men to fight it out for the remaining podium place at Ferrari’s home race.
With worn out tyres Sainz was defending for his life against a very aggressive Leclerc who was wholeheartedly enjoying the bumper to bumper battle. The Monegasque pushed his car, and his pit wall, to the limit, taking the “no risk!” team order with a pinch of salt as he kept his foot down right until the 51st and final lap.
Speaking after the race, Leclerc said “I personally really enjoyed racing Carlos,” adding that “this is what racing should be all the time. This reminds me of karting days, when we were both on the limit.” The Fiery Ferrari clash certainly stole the show towards the end, as another Verstappen victory was already inevitable.
With both Ferrari drivers safely across the line, the Scuderia leapfrogged Aston Martin in the constructors standings. The next stop in the 2023 Formula 1 calendar will see the circus take on the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, September 17.
Featured image REUTERS/Claudia Greco
