F1 took a trip to reigning world champion Max Verstappen’s home country of Netherlands the last time around. And the favourite sent the home fans happy after winning the race in what turned out to be a chaotic Grand Prix, with rains causing havoc.
The win was Verstappen’s ninth consecutive victory of the season, equalling a record previously set by German legend Sebastian Vettel. The win also helped Verstappen increase his lead at the top of the drivers championship to 138 points and a third consecutive title remains all but a mere formality now for the Dutch superstar.
With the action moving to the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza for the Italian Grand Prix this week, there is no time for the teams and the drivers to take a breather as they gear up for one of the most eagerly anticipated races of the F1 calendar.
Verstappen will hope to continue his victory parade while other drivers will also be keen to race on a circuit that is widely regarded as the best circuit to drive on during the season. All eyes will also be on Ferrari, as the Italian Grand Prix at Monza marks the home race for the legendary prancing horse outfit.
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F1 witnessed one of the most nail-biting races of the 2023 calendar during the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. But the drivers will have next to no time to recover and ponder upon the results as the calendar rolls on, with the Italian Grand Prix scheduled this week.
While Verstappen continued his victory charge in the Netherlands, there were a few shock results elsewhere and a return to form for some.
Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin was back to his early-season form best, clinching second place on the podium. Pierre Gasly of Alpine also stunned one and all, finishing on the podium.
The pressure though continued to mount on Sergio Perez after a fourth-place finish, with rumours now mounting that Red Bull are not completely convinced by his performances and he could well be replaced by a returning Daniel Ricciardo in the 2024 calendar.
So essentially, the Mexican will be driving to maintain his seat for the remainder of the season, starting with the Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari also had a mixed bag in the Netherlands, with Carlos Sainz Jr finishing fifth and Charles Leclerc nineteenth, and will be looking for a swift turnaround in results in front of a raucous home crowd at Monza. Monza demands excellence from Ferrari and anything less will further pile the pressure on the Italian outfit.
Weather forecast
After rain caused havoc in the Netherlands, expect much more sunshine during the race weekend in Monza.
The forecast for Friday is spells of mild rain in the morning and partly sunny conditions for the rest of the day. The forecast improves on Saturday, with a cloudy day at the start turning into a bright one.
The forecast for Sunday is mostly cloudy but chances of rain are pretty minimal at 1%.
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Driving at Monza is a dream for every racer in the world and it has been often regarded as one of the quickest tracks in the world. It is also the third oldest race circuit built in the world after Brooklands and Indianapolis and the oldest in mainland Europe, having opened in 1922.
The first F1 race held in Monza was in the inaugural 1950 season and the Italian Grand Prix has been held at the historic circuit each and every year except one.
The track is rapid in nature and F1’s fastest ever lap was set at Monza by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2004. Cars operate at their maximum speed for around 80% of the circuit, with some challenging corners in between.
But one word to describe the iconic Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is fun!
Italian Grand Prix Schedule
Here is the schedule of the 2023 Italian Grand Prix:
Friday, September 1
5 pm – 6 pm: Free Practice 1
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm: Free Practice 2
Saturday, September 2
4 pm – 5 pm: Free Practice 3
7:30 pm to 8:30 pm: Qualifying
Sunday, September 3
6.30 pm: Main race
Previous winners at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
The circuit at Monza tends to throw a few surprises due to its rapid nature and that is proven by it having three different winners in the last three years. Max Verstappen raced home to a victory in 2022 in his Red Bull.
2021 saw Daniel Ricciardo surprise everyone in his McLaren and seal a win, a result that he called the biggest moment of his career.
2020 saw another surprise winner, with Pierre Gasly shocking the world by driving his Alpha Tauri to a win.
What will 2023 have in store for us?
Betting tips for the Italian Grand Prix
The betting market is not only backing Max Verstappen to race to a victory but is also adamant that the Dutch driver will deliver the fastest lap of the race.
In a peculiar market that has emerged, Alex Albion is strongly favoured to be the first driver to take the pit stop in the race.
Ferrari in their home race also has good odds in their favour of both their cars finishing in the top six.
Fernando Alonso after a good finish in the Netherlands is also backed to deliver a podium-clinching performance.
Below are the most popular Formula One bets for the Italian Grand Prix:
🏎️ Fernando Alonso podium finish (3.75)
🏎️ Alex Albon first pit stop (17.00)
🏎️ Both Ferrari cars to finish in the top six (3.25)
🏆 Max Verstappen to do the Fastest Lap/Winner double (1.80)
