A Safety Car highlighted on Lap 20 saw Mercedes make a tactical error, as race leader Lewis Hamilton was brought in for new tyres regardless of the pit lane being closed– with Hamilton handed a 10-second stop/go charge for the misdemeanour.
Formula 1 commemorated the first win of Pierre Gasly at the Italian Grand Prix– but McLarens Carlos Sainz felt it might well have been him celebrating victory # 1 at Monza, had fate in the type of a badly-timed red flag not intervened, as the Spaniard eventually came house a close second to the Frenchman.
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That left Sainz– who had actually been looking comfortable in second place, having leapt Valtteri Bottas at the start from P3 on the grid– with the theoretical net lead of the race, McLaren then pitting him when the pit lane was opened again.
But a subsequent red flag just after the Safety Car reboot– after Charles Leclerc crashed greatly at Parabolica– left Sainz needing to fight back from P6 on the reformed grid as the second part of the race began, the Spaniard recuperating remarkably to take a career-best second, as he crossed the line just 0.415 s adrift of Gasly.
Sainz was a comfy P2 in the first part of the race, and set to gain from Hamiltons charge
” I had rage in myself, and again, believing about the bad luck and this season and whatever.
” A rollercoaster of feelings, clearly,” said Sainz after the race. “At the point of the red flag, I was negative, I was dissatisfied and I thought I had actually lost a chance at a win, and possibly a podium.
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” But honestly, considering that the restart, I just put my head down, tried to do everything I might to focus on catching them both and had an excellent fight with Lance in Lap 1. And after that from then on, with that medium tyre that didnt feel fantastic, I simply pressed as tough as I could to attempt and make it to Pierre– and almost did.”
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” The rate we had today was unbelievable,” said Sainz. “Honestly, the space that I handled to open with the remainder of the midfield in the first stint, and after the warning, handling to go through the entire five vehicles that I had in front to end up chasing after Pierre, certainly felt actually nice and felt like I had a great shot for success.
Despite his anger at the warning, however, Sainz stated that he was ultimately delighted to have declared his second podium and the very best result of his Formula 1 profession to date, on a day when he d been stunned by his McLaren MCL35s speed.
I got stuck. The tow, we see it now with these vehicles and the filthy air simply begins impacting you a lot in traction, in braking, small locks, oversteers.
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” But yeah, happy to end up in P2. Undoubtedly disappointed not to get the win, because today we had a lot of pace and without that warning, possibly it would have been a various story, because I understand I was the virtual race leader with Hamiltons charge. That red flag came and I managed to recover my positions and made it almost to Pierre, which would have been good. I think he deserves it and congrats.
It was still Sainzs best surface of his career
” I had rage in myself, and once again, thinking about the bad luck and this season and everything. The tow, we see it now with these vehicles and the filthy air just begins impacting you a lot in traction, in braking, tiny locks, oversteers.
Certainly dissatisfied not to get the win, because today we had a lot of speed and without that red flag, maybe it would have been a various story, due to the fact that I know I was the virtual race leader with Hamiltons charge. That red flag came and I handled to recover my positions and made it almost to Pierre, which would have been nice. I believe he deserves it and congrats.
Meanwhile, with Sainzs group mate Lando Norris coming house fourth, McLarens haul of 30 points from Monza lifts them above Racing Point to 3rd in the fitters standings– with the group having formerly taken simply one point at the track in the last 5 Grands Prix here.
” I believe we can be proud,” Sainz added, “since today I left absolutely nothing on the table in Monza. Im going to sleep calm that I understand I didnt leave one single tenth out there.”
