The final race of the triple header is here. This week we’re going to Monza, also known as the temple of speed. Will Red Bull and Max Verstappen extend their lead in both championships? And will Mercedes challenge Ferrari for the 2nd place in the constructors championship? UK bookmaker William Hill has the latest on this headlining race.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: September 6th, 03:00 P.M. (EST)
The odds as is to be expected are in favour of the current title holder, Max Verstappen, priced at 1.44. Given their recent form, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has dropped down with the oddsmakers significantly as he is listed at 7.50 for his team’s home GP.
Another interesting take from this week’s odds is Sergio Perez. Although he had a good run with Red Bull, his recent performances leave much to be desired, hence why the odds on him are priced so high. Chances of him outperforming Max remain almost impossible.
The circuit itself is a 5.793 km long track featuring 2 DRS zones and 53 laps. Also known as the temple of speed, Monza features a race where drivers drive under full throttle 80% of the time while reaching speeds up to 350 kmh (record held by Valtteri Bottas).
The track was opened in 1922 and held its first GP the same year. Some of the most notable names to win at this track include Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Daniel Ricciardo.
In Zandvoort, we saw quite a few surprises from Mercedes resurgence to Alpine’s tactical masterclass. Can Monza provide any similar spectacles? With their recent form, both in race and in qualifying, it wouldn’t be far off the mark to expect another Mercedes podium finish, especially since Ferrari is prone to errors this year.
With George Russell proving why Mercedes chose him as the driver to team up with Lewis Hamilton, they have quite the lineup capable of producing the best results imaginable.
Another team to watch out for in Monza is Alpine. Although their straight line speed isn’t that impressive compared to Red Bull or Mercedes, they proved multiple times over that with clever tactics and careful tire management that a top 10 finish is more than likely with drivers such as Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that one doesn’t really know what to expect from Ferrari. Although their car is an impressive piece of machinery, the team doesn’t seem to be able to utilise it fully nor come to terms with the fact that some part of their team needs significant changes.
Lead strategist Inaki Rueda failed to come up with sufficient tactics for the 4th race in a row, thus compromising both Leclerc’s and Sainz’s race. Will they disappoint the Tifosi at their home race? We will have to wait and see.
