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Ferrari Fail To Win at Monza, at Least They Extend Lead Over Mercedes

Ferrari had many ups and downs this season, but there is one race where all their sins could have been forgiven.
Leclerc After Getting Pole in Monza 29 photos
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1
Ferrari F1 Team in MonzaCharles Leclerc Ready for Monza QualifyingLeclerc and Sainz next to BinottoFerrari F1 Team in MonzaFerrari F1 Team in MonzaFerrari Monza QualifyingCarlos Sainz at the Italian GPFerrari on Track in MonzaCarlos SainzScuderia Flag in MonzaFerrari on Track in MonzaLeclerc Focused on the Race WeekendCharles Leclerc  on Track in MonzaMattia BinottoFerraris on the Qualifying Grid in MonzaCharles Leclerc Taking PoleCharles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz On Track in MonzaCharles Leclerc Taking PoleCarlos Sainz Italian GP WeekendCharles Leclerc Taking PoleCharles Leclerc Italian GP WeekendCharles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Looking Cheerful in MonzaChristian Horner Flanked by Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezMax Verstapen on Track in MonzaMax Verstappen Talking to Carlos SainzMax VerstappenMax Verstappen on the Qualifying Grid at the Italian GPRed Bull Boys Ready For The Italian GP
There is one win that would have wiped the slate clean and taken some pressure off both the drivers and team principal Mattia Binotto. However, the taste it left was bittersweet. Instead of bringing the Tifosi some much-needed hope, they gave up another race win to Red Bull.

It’s debatable whether it was through outright pace or a strategic blunder. Making two stops could have cost them the win, but not taking advantage of a virtual safety car could have been just as bad, so they were put in a tough spot.

Keep in mind that their chances of fighting Max Verstappen for the win were quite slim, and that’s putting it mildly. The Dutch World Champion had taken a brand-new engine for the race, resulting in a grid penalty and some hopes in the Ferrari camp. However, a new power unit combined with the chassis upgrade Red Bull brought to the Italian GP gave Max an overwhelming advantage.

But where there is the bad, there are also the good and the ugly. Let’s start with the ugly so that we can end on a positive note. The 2021 F1 season had a hugely controversial finale and that seems to have caused a ripple effect. In Abu Dhabi, Michael Massi refused to end the race under a safety car, but that is exactly how the race in Monza was finished. While probably the best decision according to the regulations, it is sure to start a bit of a wildfire among fans.

Now let us finally get to the good part. Ferrari is surely out of the fight by now. But there is still the matter of second place in the Constructors Championship. While it is by no means a crown, it is a consolation prize. One that comes with a lot of money, too. Considering how poorly the season went after their promising start, the fact that they at least managed to get some more points over Mercedes is the small victory they need right now.
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About the author: Bogdan Bebeselea
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As a kid, Bogdan grew up handing his dad the tools needed to work on his old Citroen and asking one too many questions about everything happening inside the engine bay. Naturally, this upbringing led Bogdan to become an engineer, but thanks to Top Gear, The Fast and the Furious series, and racing video games, a passion for automotive entertainment was ignited.
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