Charles Leclerc says his second victory on the Italian Grand Prix is as particular as his first after pulling off a one-stop technique to win for Ferrari at Monza.
Oscar Piastri led nearly all of the race from teammate Lando Norris, with Leclerc dropping from second to 3rd after the primary spherical of pit stops. Whereas McLaren opted for a two-stop technique, Leclerc stayed on a set of exhausting compound tires for 38 laps to carry off Piastri by 2.6s, with the house crowd cheering with growing quantity each lap the Ferrari driver handed by and closed in on victory.
“It’s an unimaginable feeling,” Leclerc stated. “Truly, I believed that the primary time would simply really feel like this, after which the second time, if there was a second time, wouldn’t really feel as particular. However, my God, the feelings in the previous few laps, precisely the identical, like in 2019, simply watching the grandstand within the observe. which is hard however unimaginable!
“Monaco and Monza are the 2 races that I wish to win yearly. Clearly I wish to win as many races as potential and the world championship as quickly as potential, however these are the 2 most vital races of the season and I managed to win them this yr. It’s so, so particular.”
Leclerc admits he wasn’t anticipating to be within the combine for victory at Monza given the efficiency seen earlier within the weekend, and was not sure in regards to the one-stop technique till he had clear air. Assured to emerge in third place if he made a second cease, the Monegasque felt it was a big gamble value taking.
“Earlier than the race, should you would have requested me, the one-stop was positively the factor I wished to do,” he stated. “After 10 laps, I believe we noticed that Crimson Bull began to battle with the entrance left on the exhausting, after which we began to doubt the one-stop. We thought that it could be much more tough as a result of we thought that the exhausting could be a harder tire to convey to the tip.
“Nevertheless, as quickly as I put it on, I nonetheless thought that this was a chance, particularly when Oscar pitted two or three laps after that. I felt like I had extra grip not having a automobile in entrance, particularly on the entrance tires, and that’s the place I actually thought that the one-stop, we might make it work.”
“At the moment I didn’t count on it going to the race. I believed that we’d battle a bit extra in comparison with the McLaren, but additionally in comparison with the Mercedes that appeared to have a very good tempo on Friday.
“Nevertheless, after just a few laps, I noticed and I felt the automobile was in a very good place. Oscar perhaps was slightly bit faster. It was tough to see Lando’s tempo as he was behind. Then as soon as we acquired undercut, I used to be like, ‘OK, perhaps we’re dropping the win there.’ However then as soon as each pitted, I really picked up various entrance grip, having the free air in entrance. Being the final automobile [to pit], I didn’t have a lot to lose by making an attempt the one-stop.
“We did a very, actually good job with that entrance left, which has been very, very tough for everyone. We had quite a lot of entrance graining, however managed to take that entrance grip once more. That helped us to win immediately.
“To face up on that podium in entrance of all of the Tifosi after such per week, as a result of it’s a really tiring one … It’s an unimaginable feeling to be racing for Ferrari in Monza, however it’s additionally very tiring. To have the ability to win right here is extraordinarily particular.”
