Tops / Flops Italian GP: Ricciardo has a smile, Gasly grinds black

Tops

Ricciardo, back to the top

Three years. An eternity in Formula 1. Since the Monaco GP in 2018, Daniel Ricciardo had never known the drunkenness of victory. It's now done and this 2021 Italian Grand Prix will remain a highlight in the Australian's career. Chastened by his teammate, Norris, since the start of the season, Ricciardo has had a huge race. A great start, as he started second, and overtaking Max Verstappen from the start. Then, he held on to the Dutchman for 22 laps. A perfect stop, a very solid second run and victory at the end with the best lap as a bonus. It's hard to dream of better for the McLaren driver, already third in the sprint race on Saturday.

McLaren, historic double

Eleven years since the British team had not known such a celebration. At the time, at the 2010 Canadian GP, ​​Lewis Hamilton had beaten Jenson Button. Sunday, Daniel Ricciardo got the better of Lando Norris and validates the return to the foreground of McLaren, with a 48th double in F1. Third force last season, the English team remained on three complicated races (Hungary, Belgium and the Netherlands) with only seven points scored. In Italy, it was the jackpot for McLaren who scored 45 points in total and thus regain the third place of the constructors at Ferrari. The orange car was untouchable at Monza, with a top speed that no other team has managed to achieve. A royal Sunday for McLaren.

Read alsoF1, Italian GP: the incredible collision between Verstappen and Hamilton, forced to retire (video)

Today's comeback for Bottas

Released since his transfer to Alfa Romeo next year, Valtteri Bottas, nineteenth on the grid after an engine change, finished third at Monza and climbed on the podium.

A crazy comeback on Sunday, after the success in the sprint race on Saturday, the Finn was at the rendezvous in Italy and saved the weekend for Mercedes a little.

A found Bottas, it is perhaps the best news of the day for the German team and Lewis Hamilton in view of the end of the season.

Leclerc solid fourth

Sixth on the grid and sick on Saturday, Charles Leclerc expected to suffer on Sunday.

But as is often the case, the Monegasque was brilliant with his car, despite lacking top speed compared to the competition.

Efficient on the track and taking advantage of the facts of the race, the Ferrari driver took a good fourth place, greeted by his boss Mattia Binotto.

With the sixth place of Sainz, the Scuderia limits the breakage compared to McLaren.

Flops

Gasly, weekend to forget

We had left him as a hero at Monza in 2020 where he had just won his first victory in Formula 1. The French was eager to return to Lombardy but the weekend turned out to be nightmarish.

In the wall in the first lap of the sprint race on Saturday, Pierre Gasly had a Sunday of the same ilk.

Victim of problems on his car during the warm-up lap, while he started from the pits following an engine change, the Habs only completed one lap before giving up without knowing the reason. .

A very frustrating weekend for the leader of AlphaTauri.

The Verstappen-Hamilton exhibition

After Silverstone, Monza will remain a milestone in this world title battle. This time around, no one came out unscathed. Because on lap 26, the Max Verstappen-Lewis Hamilton rivalry took on another dimension. After a missed stop by Red Bull on lap 23, Max Verstappen came out far (10th) and angry. But two laps later, Hamilton also stopped and his team was also missing. The Briton then emerged just in front of the Batavian but the latter forced the passage to turn 1 to overtake him while the seven-time world champion closed the door ... An inevitable collision. And surreal scene since Verstappen's car was literally found on Hamilton's. More fear than harm for the Briton in particular, who was knocked out when he got out of his car,but a new moment of tension between the two protagonists of this season. For the moment, no one has been found guilty (Hamilton had been at Silverstone with a penalty of ten seconds despite a victory at the end) because the two men will be heard at the end of the race by the FIA ​​commissioners. . This announces, in any case, moments of tension between the two teams and this should not displease Christian Horner, the sporting boss of Red Bull, a real regular in these bickering.in any case, moments of tension between the two teams and this should not displease Christian Horner, the sporting boss of Red Bull, a real regular in these bickering.in any case, moments of tension between the two teams and this should not displease Christian Horner, the sporting boss of Red Bull, a real regular in these bickering.