F1 | QATAR GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN, WHAT A MISTAKE!!”

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Max Versappen relaunched his bid for the title with a clear win in Qatar. This win, together with the second place and fourth place by Piastri and Norris, allows the Dutchman to reduce the gap between him from the Briton to twelve points. It was a particularly intense weekend characterized by complex strategies focussed on the management of the tyres, a decisive factor on Losail’s asphalt.

Despite its evident superiority in qualifying, in the Sprint Race and in the race pace, McLaren compromised a potentially decisive result due to a mistake under the safety car. A mistake that weighed heavily on the result, especially when compared to the solid and impeccable performance offered by Verstappen and a Red Bull team that was once again impeccable in its management of the strategies.

In a championship decided on the edge of hundredths of a second, every mistake risks having a significant impact. McLaren, buoyed by having won the Constructors’ title, seems keen to give its drivers plenty of freedom in the fight for the World Championship. It is a commendable sporting philosophy but one that could prove costly. Norris will go to Abu Dhani with a favourable margin, but the feeling is that the composure and the lucidity shown by the team led by Laurent Mekies do not guarantee a peaceful night’s sleep

Kimi Antonelli, the author of another convincing performance also deserves a mention. The young driver from Bologna was penalized during the first spit-stop, when almost all the group except McLaren and Ocon stopped at the same time, forcing him to slow down to let several cars pass, including Sainz, who finished third. However, Antonelli managed to recover, despite losing fourth place to Norris in the end due to a small mistake. Two points that could prove costly in the overall standings, but they will not affect the Italian driver’s excellent end of the season.

It was a weekend of celebration for Italian Motorsport also thanks to the Formula 2 title won by Fornaroli. For the second consecutive year a rookie took out the championship, following last year’s win in F3, a result that confirms the talent of young Italian drivers and the work carried out by the Federation.

The weekend in Losail also mathematically confirmed Ferrari’s fourth place in the Constructors’ World Championship, a position that accurately reflects the car’s performance throughout the season.

Now all eyes turn to Abu Dahbi where the new world champion will be crowned in a week’s time, The battle between Norris (408 points), Verstappen (396) and Piastri (392) is more open than ever. And it is not impossible that the third driver could come between the two rivals.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | QATAR GP, MINARDI “A MENTAL BATTLE BETWEEN NORRIS-VERSTAPPE AND PIASTRI”

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From the desert of Las Vegas to that of Doha for the twenty third and penultimate round of the World Championship. After the results in Nevada, Max Verstappen has joined the battle for the title, alongside Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, with the British driver leading the trio by 24 points. That is certainly not a small margin, but it is a not huge one either, considering that there are still two GPs and a sprint race to go.

The sixth and last Spring Race will take place in Qatar. This means that the drivers and teams will have only one session of free practice available to get to grips with the tyres and to prepare the racing cars for qualifying and the Sprint itself. Something to also bear in mind is that the grip levels of the track change significantly and can alter the behaviour of the cars.

This weekend the tyres will play an even more important role. Pirelli has brought the hardest compounds, C1, C2 and C3, and has also stipulated that each set cannot cover more than 25 laps of the Losail circuit. This is limit is calculated across all the sessions, including any laps under neutralization. This scenario paves the way for strategies with at least two stops but could even push some teams to consider three.

The reason is linked to the characteristics of the track. Losail is a circuit full of medium-fast corners and long wide curves that put a lot of strain on the front right tyre in particular, as well as a very long main straight that requires an aerodynamic compromise that is anything but simple. The management of the traffic will be a key factor because, despite the DRS, overtaking cannot be taken for granted; starting at the front in qualifying will be crucial to putting together a solid weekend.

Complicating all this even further will be the weather: intense heat, high humidity and a physical exertion comparable to that of the Singapore GP. In the past, Qatar has already shown that it is an extreme race with drivers severely tested by dehydration and heat stress. Therefore, physical fitness will be a crucial variable in both the Sprint Race and the long race.

The final element that should not be underestimated is the possible entry of the safety car, which is always a threat on a circuit that punishes mistakes and with such delicate strategies, could shake things up at any moment.

So, mental focus will also be decisive, especially for the top three in the World Championship. Verstappen, buoyed by his latest wins and comeback; Norris called upon to defend his lead with composure and Piastri who will try to overcome his difficult period.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | LAS VEGAS GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI — “A WIN THAT IS WORTH DOUBLE FOR VERSTAPPEN”

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The Las Vegas Grand Prix gave us a twist worthy of the best thrillers, if not horror films, for Norris and Piastri, with the double disqualification of McLaren that came after the end of the race due to a skid block plank wear breach. This occurrence reopened the World Championship, not just between the two McLaren drivers, but also thanks to the inclusion of Max Verstappen, the protagonist once again of an extraordinary start and a perfect race, in which he not only managed the lead, but also sent a strong and decisive sign to his direct rivals in the last three laps, consistently setting the best performance.

In the end, Lando “pulled the hand brake”, probably to avoid a penalty due to excessive wear of the skid block, crossing the finishing line twenty seconds behind the Dutchman after an imperfect start that cost him the lead.

It was another excellent performance by Andrea Kimi Antonelli. A slight mistake during the final lap of qualifying in the wet conditions cost him a place in Q2, followed by a five second penalty for jumping the start. Despite this, the young Italian climbed back from seventeenth place up to fifth (then third after the disqualifications), impressing with his consistent pace during the 47 laps on hard tyres. In direct comparison with Russell, he was ruthless in his consistency, and in his duels with Piastri and Leclerc, he showed great maturity.

At Ferrari, Leclerc gave everything the car allowed him to give. Both he and Hamilton managed to rectify the complicated qualifying session in the wet – even more so the British driver who was forced to start from the rear – with both finishing in the points. For the Constructors’ Championship, however, little has changed: second place remains far away. The current ladder faithfully reflects the values on the field, with McLaren and Red Bull a step ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari.

Positive results also for Sainz and Hadjer who said goodbye to Las Vegas with fifth place and sixth place respectively, ahead of Niko Hülkenberg. These important results consolidated the positions of their respective teams. Ocon and Bearman took advantage of the double disqualification to gain two positions and complete the Top 10.

Two races, and a Sprint Race, from the end, the three contenders to the title are separated by just 24 points. We can expect a thrilling end of the season, both technically and mentally. See you in a week’s time in Qatar.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | BRAZILIAN GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “ANTONELLI WAS EXTRAORDINARY, LIKE VERSTAPPEN AND NORRIS. IT WAS A SHAME NOT SEEING LECLERC AMONGST THEM”

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It was a weekend that could have tipped the world championship in Lando Norris’ favour, given the number of mistakes made by his teammate and main rival for the title. There are still three GPs and one Sprint Race left, and it will take little for him to find himself on zero points – as happened to Piastri in the Sprint Race – but at the moment Norris is leading with great composure, managing his tyres and car perfectly. It was a great show of strength by McLaren, but above all by Lando.

Kimi Antonelli’s performance for the entire weekend is to be applauded: second in qualifying, second in the Sprint Race and in the GP. He masterfully resisted Verstappen’s comeback in the final laps, managing his tyres and race pace in the best way possible. We have a young man who is growing, making the experience gained in his first season in F1 bear fruit, including the mistakes that are part of a rookie’s growth path.

Max Verstappen was also very good. Starting from pit lane, he secured the podium with an impressive third place. Although he was helped by the safety car and the virtual safety car, he showed his talent once again, completing the 71 laps at qualifying pace regardless of the compound used, and a  set up that penalized him in the most demanding part of the track.

It was a shame for Ferrari, forced to retire with both its drivers. It would have been interesting to see Leclerc battle it out with Norris, Antonelli and Verstappen. With the two Ferraris failing to cross the finish line, Haas and Racing Bulls took advantage with important placings in the Constructors’.

Haas is doing an excellent job, especially with Bearman: it is a team that works calmly and consistently, and the results prove it. Racing Bulls also did well, with seventh and eight places that consolidates sixth place in the world championship ahead of Aston Martin – out of the points today – with a lead of ten points.

The next round will be in two weeks with the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | BRAZILIAN GP GIAN CARLO MINARDI “SEVERAL TEAMS COULD PAY PENALTIES HERE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE FINAL RACES”

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We have come to the fourth last round of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix. Lando Norris leads the ladder by just one point from Oscar Piastri. We expect a thrilling end to the season in which even the penalties for the replacement of components will come into play. Some more, some less, everyone is at risk of penalties.

Keep your eyes on McLaren. With the Sprint Race scheduled for this weekend, there are a lot of points up for grabs, and the team may be called upon to make important strategic decisions. Verstappen is far away but they cannot afford any missteps.

Brazil is a track that has given us a few surprises in recent years. It is not a very long track, little more than four kilometres, but there are two or three points where overtaking is possible. For this reason, some teams. – such as Ferrari – may decide to incur an eventual penalties ahead of the final races. Compared to its direct rivals, if they replace the engine, they will incur a lighter penalty, having already had previous penalties. There has been some progress in terms of results, but not yet in terms of the gaps.

The weather could be an important variable, and on the tyre front Pirelli will bring the C2-C3-C4 compounds. At Interlagos, with its fast bends and the continual changes of direction, tyre wear could be an important factor. Last year, the new surface caused a few problems with bumps: we will see if they have been resolved.

There is no lack of points for watching a good weekend, starting with the Sprint Race.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | MEXICAN GP, THE POINT BYGIAN CARLO MINARDI “THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BETWEEN NORRIS AND PIASTRI IS WIDE OPEN. VERSTAPPEN WAS SAVED BY THE MARSHALS”

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Lando Norris 357 points against Oscar Piatri’s 356.

The Mexican Grand Prix completely reopened the battle for the drivers’ world championship between McLaren’s drivers. With four races to go – and two sprint races still on the calendar – the two teammates are separated by just one point.

We witnessed one of the most exciting Grands Prix in recent times, enlivened by different strategies and a decisive change of compounds by Pirelli. For the first time, the choice of tyres really had an impact on the result, keeping the verdict in suspense until the last bend.

A perfect Norris

Lando Norris raced one of his best weekends ever, impeccable in qualifying and dominant in the race. His win, with a 30 second lead over Leclerc, was clear-cut and well-deserved.

For Ferrari, second place was an important result: their second consecutive podium and the highest possible outcome at this point in time. A podium earned on the track and defended until the very last lap, with the usual fighting Verstappen right behind them.

Verstappen saved at the first bend

As always, Red Bull’s Dutchman fought tooth and nail. However, at the first bend, he was saved by the marshals; penalties have not been imposed for similar incidents for some time for such incidents, but, in this case, he was already a few metres of the line, with two tyres on the grass.

He was excellent in controlling the car, avoiding contact with the barriers, but if there had been gravel instead of grass, his race would have ended there.

Hamilton and the right penalty

It was a very different situation for Hamilton. I agree with the marshals’ decision: not only did he fail to follow the instructions for returning onto the track, but he also gained ground with that manoeuvre. It is true that following the correct trajectory at that point was not easy and, in any case, anybody would probably have done the same, but seen in this light, the penalty was correct.

Bearman surprised with Haas

It was an excellent performance by Oliver Bearman, fourth across the finish line and fighting for the podium for a long time. It was a valuable result for both the young driver and the American team, which found a high-level weekend once again.

Mercedes confused but Correct

The situation in Mercedes was more chaotic. Russell then gave back the position to Kimi Antonelli, demonstrating great fairness, but these incidents should be managed more quickly: these are decisions that must be taken immediately, without waiting too many laps.

Piastri saved what could be saved

It was a more complicated weekend for Oscar Piastri, who struggled with a very slippery McLaren. Despite the difficulties, he managed to finish in fifth place, limiting the damage.

The world championship is now wide open. The battle between Norris and Piastri is heating up, while Verstappen’s race for the title seems definitively over.

Gian Carlo Minardi

 

F1 | MEXICAN GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “IS MCLAREN READY TO DEFINE ITS INTERNAL STRATEGIES?”

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We are at the threshold of the Mexican Grand Prix. Making predictions is increasingly complicated, as we saw last week in Austin, with a drastic change in performance by some teams – see Ferrari – between the Sprint Race and the GP. Even the participants cannot explain this type of leap, although they still finished the Sunday with a third and a fourth place.

These racing cars are certainly sensitive to changes, and any small thing is enough to go from hero to zero. We saw this with Williams and Sauber. On the other hand, the situation is different in McLaren; the lack of data gathered during the Sprint Race had negative repercussions on the race result as well.

I am still of the opinion that the team to beat is McLaren, even if the calm atmosphere in Red Bull means that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri cannot sleep soundly, especially with Max Verstappen in such splendid form and doing practically whatever he wants.

The Mexican GP is run at high altitude and, as we know, this affects the performance of the power unit. This should therefore benefit the Mercedes unit. We are now five races from the end of the championship, and I think this could be the decisive race for defining McLaren’s strategies. There are then two Sprint races in four weeks. Verstappen is far behind and, together with Russell, could tip the balance, but they still have to be careful, as history teaches us.

As in Austin, even in Mexico Pirelli will adopt a leap of compounds, bringing C2 (hard), C4 (medium) and C5 (soft). The intention is that of livening up the race with more pit stops. We will wait and see.

Also keep an eye on the battle between Racing Bulls and Aston Martin for sixth place in the constructors’ championship, with the two teams separated by just three points-

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | USA GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “VERSTAPPEN UNSTOPPABLE. AND ALSO A SUPER LECLERC”

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The change of performances that we saw this weekend in Ferrari was completely unexplainable, especially between before and after the sprint race.

The sole certainty has only one name: Max Verstappen. His consistency and the fact that he never gives up is incredible. Red Bull has found the right composure once again, and the Dutchman does the rest.

Despite this however, I remain of the opinion that the question of the world championship is a matter between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Only a Sprint style disaster (with both the McLarens out of the running) within the GP could really reopen the world championship.

Leclerc’s performance was no less impressive, in both qualifying and the race, with third place in the end. He was excellent. Taking risks by starting with the softs. Among other things, he finished “only” twelve seconds behind the winner, one of Ferrari’s best results of the season. With third and fourth places the Team reopens the challenge with Mercedes for second spot on the constructors.

Mercedes is in difficulty: it could not repeat the result and the performance shown in Singapore. At Austin, it was not up to the task. A pity however for Antonelli: apart from the fastest lap of the race his lap times were on par with Russell. Without the contact from Sainz he would have kept up with his teammate in sixth or seventh place. Williams’ Spanish driver, who is always very clean and correct, made a mistake this time

I also record what happened Saturday between Piastri and Norris as a mistake. The fact that no data was collected also had repercussions in the race: precious information on the pressure and the wear of the tires was missing. Norris, however, still crossed the finish line in second place.

There are still five grands prix remaining, and in a weeks’ time we will be in Mexico.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP USA, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MERCEDES’ SUSPENSION IS STARTING TO PAY OFF”

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Formula 1 arrives in Austin, Texas, with the constructors’ title already in McLaren’s hands. The battle for the title between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris is still open, with the team repeating its intention to allow the two drivers to battle it out and race freely.

Despite the last three grands prix having been a little more complicated for the world champion team, even though they were always close, McLaren remains the benchmark car to beat, with Mercedes a close second. I have the impression that the team led by Toto Wolff has found the right formula to make the new suspension work in the best possible way. This was confirmed just two weeks ago in Singapore where Russell winning in hot and humid conditions. Therefore, they could be the arbiters of this championship, together with Max Verstappen.

On the tyre front, for the second time in the season, Pirelli will bring three non-consecutive compounds to the track. After Spa-Francorchamps, it will once again propose the combination with C1 as the Hard, C3 as the Medium and C4 as the Soft with the aim of trying to diversify the strategies.

The sprint race makes its return. This means that the drivers and teams will have only one session of free practice, followed by qualifying and the sprint race (18 laps at 7.00pm on Saturday).

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | SINGAPORE GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “ON MCLAREN’S DAY, FERRARI CONFIRMS IT IS THE FOURTH FORCE”

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The weekend in Singapore officially awarded the title of World Constructors’ Champion to McLaren for the second consecutive year and also saw Mercedes’ win with a fantastic Russell.

Despite the heat and the high humidity, Mercedes managed to make the difference right from qualifying. Kimi Antonelli completed a positive weekend for the team with his fifth place, consolidating second place in the constructors’ championship, and with Ferrari having to look over its shoulders for the arrival of Red Bull. However, the team from Maranello is currently the fourth force.

Something more was certainly expected from the drivers in the papaya-coloured car, but with his podium finish Norris gained six points over his direct rival to try to keep the internal battle with Piastri alive. It is clear that the drivers have carte balance. I do not think that Verstappen can still be considered in the race for the title, even if, as usual, he made the others pay a high price, especially now that he is once again supported by the car. With the right support from Tsunoda, they can still aim for third place at the expense of Ferrari.

I found Ferrari’s decision to opt for the “reds” to catch up with Antonelli to be correct. The brake problem ruined Hamilton’s work, but they would not have gone beyond fifth place anyway.

Williams’ performance is to be applauded, with Sainz starting last and crossing the finish line in the points zone with tenth place. On a track where it is practically impossible to overtake, the strategy was excellent, as was the Spaniard’s driving.

Alonso’s result was just as positive; always entertaining on the team-radio and also determined on the track. With Hamilton’s penalty he took home seventh place. I am sure that Adrian Newey had a hand in this too.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | SINGAPORE GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “VERSTAPPEN COULD BE THE DECIDING FACTOR OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP”

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McLaren’s in-house battle is ready to reignite on Singapore’s street circuit, with Max Verstapppen potentially tipping the scale in the world championship battle.  After Red Bull’s win in Baku, Piastri’s unfortunate exit from the track and Norris’ lost opportunity, the championship lands at a treacherous circuit which, as is the tradition, is raced at night. The weather conditions remain restrictive; about 30°C with a 70% humidity, factors that will put the drivers to the test.

The safety-car, almost always a key factor at Marina Bay, could influence the strategies in a race that often comes close to the two-hour limit. On the tyre front, Pirelli has chosen the softest range (C3-C4-C5). Qualifying will be crucial; historically, those starting in pole have a great chance to win.

McLaren remains the favourite, while Red Bull will need to score another strong result if it wants to keep the pressure on. For Verstappen, the 69-point gap is a huge hurdle, especially with two McLarens ahead in the title race, but the Dutchman could take on the role of the “deciding factor” in the world championship.

Behind them, the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari for second place in the constructors’ championship continues, with the prancing horse coming from a difficult weekend in Baku. Also noteworthy is the growth of Williams which, with Sainz’s podium finish, has overtaken Racing Bulls in fifth place.

All the ingredients are there; Singapore is getting ready to offer a weekend of great entertainment.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | AZERBAIGIAN GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “MAX IS ALWAYS A CONFIRMATION. SERENITY IN THE TEAM IS ALWAYS DECISIVE FOR RESULTS”

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We experienced a very interesting Grand Prix, especially in lap times set by the first ten drivers. It was however a race that confirmed how important technology is, but that everything else is decisive.

In a Red Bull that has regained composure – coinciding with the arrival of Laurent Mekies in the team – came the second consecutive win by the usual “monster” of skill Max Verstappen. The calm atmosphere in the team also had a favourable impact on the management of the team, the morale of the drivers and the strategy. All of this is reflected in the results. Tsunoda’s sixth place after several uneasy weeks is further confirmation. Verstappen certainly did his part, managing in the best way possible a car that has less down force than the others in the driven section and setting the fastest laps in the last three laps despite a 14” lead over Russell.

It was also a positive weekend for Mercedes which leaves Baku with second and fourth places, securing second place on the Constructors’ World Championship, at the expense of Ferrari where confusion still reigns. Well done Kimi Antonelli in not taking unnecessary risks, consistently driving a tenth and a half of a second behind his teammate – who I consider one of the three or four best drivers of the World Championship. Antonelli demonstrated all his worth, even from a mental point of view. Of course, he must bring some changes to his inner organization, but he will continue to grow. He has a year and a half ahead of him to improve. Even today, he fought for the podium, and let us not forget, he was up against giants such as Verstappen, Russell and Sainz.

It was an absolutely positive weekend also for Williams and for Sainz who took third place after having taken the front row in qualifying. The team was very good in the management of the strategy, and the driver was equally impressive in the race, not making the slightest mistake.

The McLaren chapter: unquantifiable. There were major mistakes by the two drivers who are aiming to become world champions, especially Piastri, both at the start and then crashing into the wall on the first lap. The team, very close to regaining the Constructor’ title, was probably distracted and must reflect on this. However, neither Piastri nor Norris can expect to sleep soundly with Verstappen in such good form. The point gap is still substantial – 68 points separate the Australian from the Dutchman – but with seven races still to go they do not represent a comfortable margin. With Norris’ seventh place, Oscar still had a good day.

The situation is quite different for Racing Bulls which can celebrate fifth and tenth places with Lawson and Hadjar. In particular, Lawson did very well to keep Tsunoda behind him, who had replaced him in Red Bull at the start of the season, causing him quite a few problems, also in terms of state of mind. I am very pleased with this result: a lot of valuable points for the team, which clinches sixth place amongst the constructors.

In two weeks, they will be in Singapore.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | AZERBAIGIAN GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “WATCH OUT FOR MAX”

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From Monza to Baku, passing through Imola where we celebrated the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day with a new crowd record, – more than 20,000 – and more than 700 historic cars at the Imola Circuit.  For this reason, I would like to thank all the collectors who took part by taking extraordinary cars onto the track and the paddock, together with the enthusiasts and fans who, with their warmth, made this weekend memorable.

In particular, I was extremely pleased to see the involvement of the younger generations: once again many young people, both Italians and foreigners, explored the pits and admired cars that wrote the history of Motorsport.  The Acque Minerali and Tosa grandstands were also full, further enhancing the atmosphere. It was a record-breaking edition even on the social media: in the last month we generated a total of almost 2 million views between Instagram and Facebook.

Now, however, we fly to Azerbaijan, to a circuit that is decidedly different from Monza: the 6,003m of Baku wind through the old part of the city and the more modern parts. The two main straights: the one after turn 2 and pit straight, along the lakefront, which measures 2,2km – twice the length of Monza’s 1,100m – preceded by a section with bends to be taken at full throttle, which allows them to reach very high speeds. The highest speed registered by FIA remains the one set by Valtteri Bottas who reached 388km/hr. in 2016 with the Williams,

For the fourth time, Pirelli takes the softest compound available, the C6, alongside C5 and C4(hard), with the aim of livening up the race. Although the safety car never entered the track in the last round, it remains a variable, especially in the “Castle” section.

The teams must find the right compromise between the fast low-downforce part, and the driven part. Given what we saw in Monza, Verstappen could make the difference once again, even if McLaren is still the car to beat. Keep an eye on Mercedes: with the temperatures not expected to be very high, around 24-25°, the W16 could find itself in excellent conditions to “breathe” better thanks to the cooler air.

A Good GP to everyone.

Gian Carlo Minardi