F1 | Gp Italy THE POINT by Gian Carlo Minardi “Hamilton extraordinary. Ferrari, how many mistakes”

In the light of the results in free practice and especially in qualifying the result of the race clearly disadvantages Ferrari that leaves Monza only with second place.

Unfortunately we saw the Festival of mistakes: Sebastian Vettel stumbled with the fifth mistake in the season barely thirty seconds after the green light, the people on the wall called Raikonnen into the pits too early and gave Hamilton the chance to run eight more laps, but I believe something was not working perfectly in the Finn’s car and he paid for this with excessive blistering of the right rear wheel, possibly due to an imperfect mix of the set or by a set up that was not the best.

We are witnessing an exciting struggle between two great constructors that is very tight even in the verbal exchanges and the strategies. Bottas’ message was clear when he slowed Raikonnen to favour Hamilton’s come back. Games are part of F1 and they show how important it is to have two drivers in play. This must give Ferrari something to think about for the near future.

Monza gave us a tight grand prix run on the edge of hundredths of a second where Hamilton did not make the slightest mistake. He came close bringing home the maximum result. He was perfect in every circumstance: at the start, when he overtook Vettel and in the final charge on the Finn. We waited an instant before lunging on Raikonnen which was backed up by his team’s strategy as well. Faced with such a driver it will be very hard for Vettel to close the gap with only seven grands prix still to be run.

The Grand Prix’s best driver? Surely Hamilton. He did not make the slightest mistake and always raced on the attack, keeping his rival under pressure. Bottas’ small assist is something that happens.

I must congratulate all the public because it answered in the best way possible and by filling the terraces showed how important this round is for Italians. These were three exciting days. We will now wait and see what will happen in Singapore.

Gian Carlo Minardi