Charles Leclerc celebrated his second victory at Monza with the same joy and passion he felt five years earlier, as he held off a strong challenge from McLaren to secure an unexpected win for Ferrari at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, September 1. Starting from fourth on the grid at Ferrari’s home race, Leclerc executed a clever one-stop strategy to gain track position over the two-stopping McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Managing his Pirelli tires expertly, Leclerc maintained his lead to cross the finish line first, sending the Tifosi into a frenzy.
Reflecting on his 2024 triumph, Leclerc likened it to his first Monza win in 2019, which came shortly after his maiden victory at Spa. “It’s an incredible feeling,” he said. “I thought the first win would feel like this, and the second time might not be as special, but the emotions in the last few laps were just as intense as in 2019.”
Leclerc also highlighted the importance of winning at Monza, alongside his first-ever victory at his home race in Monaco earlier this year. “Monaco and Monza are the two races I aim to win every year. I want to win as many races as possible, and eventually the World Championship, but these two are the most important for me, and to have won both this year is incredibly special.”
Ferrari’s victory at Monza was boosted by car upgrades, but Leclerc remained cautious about their prospects for the rest of the season as he looked ahead to the next race in Baku, a circuit where he has traditionally performed well. “I don’t know if the upgrades made the difference,” Leclerc admitted. “Our package worked well at Monza, but I’m not sure if it will be the same for the rest of the season. McLaren still seems to be the favorite, but we’ve made progress.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz also delivered a solid performance in his final race for Ferrari at Monza before moving to Williams next season. Sainz, celebrating his 30th birthday, finished fourth, adding to Ferrari’s three wins in the 2024 season – two from Leclerc and one from Sainz in Australia.
Leclerc’s win keeps Ferrari in the hunt as they prepare for the remaining eight races of the season, with hopes of building on their momentum and challenging for further success.
