Charles Leclerc delivers surprise home win for Ferrari at Monza
Charles Leclerc claims Ferrari's first home F1 win at Monza since 2019.
Charles Leclerc claimed a brilliant and surprise home victory for Ferrari at the F1 Italian Grand Prix.
Leclerc pulled off an ambitious one-stop strategy to fend off the hard chasing, two-stopping McLaren of Oscar Piastri to claim Ferrari’s first home win since 2019 and delight a raucous tifosi crowd at Monza.
It marked Leclerc's second victory of the season following his long-awaited home win at Monaco back in May.
"It is an incredible feeling," said Leclerc.
"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 as 2019 [when I first won the Italian Grand Prix].
"I want to win Monza and Monaco every year and I have managed to do so. It is so, so special."
Lando Norris went from first to third on an eventful opening lap as his streak of losing positions on the first lap continued, and completed the podium in third for McLaren.
Carlos Sainz, also on a one-stop, finished fourth ahead of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who endured a frustrating race.
The Dutchman has now seen his championship lead reduced to 62 points with eight races remaining.
George Russell lost ground at the start when he outbraked himself but came out on top of a tense battle with Red Bull's Sergio Perez to finish seventh.
Alex Albon was ninth for Williams, with Kevin Magnussen completing the top-10 for Haas.
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