Ferrari Monza F1 battle helps SPICE UP dull 2023 season

Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Screencap — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 Features

Ferrari’s epic Monza battle helps SPICE UP dull F1 season

The Ferrari duo help to bring excitement on Sunday to an otherwise unexcitable 2023 F1 campaign

Shay Rogers

Monday 4 September 2023 17:27

As fans, experiencing a season like we are in 2023, it would be easy to declare that Formula 1 is in the middle of a crisis amid Red Bull’s historic dominance.

However, the Italian Grand Prix showed a glimpse of what we can look forward to when the teams do eventually catch up at the sharp end of the field.

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc fought admirably in front of the Tifosi on a weekend where Ferrari appeared to be in the best shape of the season so far.

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An explosive battle helped to bring some spice to an otherwise lacklustre season in terms of on track action between all the drivers.

Why the excitement?

Perhaps it’s not aided by the lack of a title fight, but witnessing a battle for the podium is a lot easier to get behind than any of the scraps we have been left with in the previous 13 races.

While on the limit at times, Carlos Sainz staked his claim to be in Ferrari’s long-term plans by holding off Charles Leclerc, especially when it mattered in the final five laps of the race.

Carlos Sainz rounds the famous 'Parabolica' corner, now officially named Curva Alboreto

Clearly on edge, forcing Leclerc wide and locking up on occasion, the deserved victor in the intra-Ferrari battle came out on top in the end as Sainz delivered his second career Monza podium.

His team-mate on the other hand, had a contrastingly quiet race until the closing stages, opting to conserve his tyres for the latter portion of the grand prix.

Leclerc's wise move nearly paid dividends as he went on to finish a matter of tenths from the podium, and declared that he "loved it" after the race.

It all kicked off because neither driver fully closed the door on the other, as both allowed mistakes to hinder their chances at pulling away from each other at crucial points on the circuit.

Ferrari fight leaves us wanting more

Sainz locks up in the early stages of the race while keeping Verstappen behind

It was all so tense that Nico Rosberg tried to claim that Sainz's actions were "too much" in a post-race interview with Charles Leclerc - a tag which the Monegasque driver brushed off.

But the heat of the battle is exactly what us fans have thirsted for and have yet to experience so far this season.

Running wide, pushing each other to the limit, and delivering a spectacular finish is exactly what Formula 1 needed this weekend to remind everyone just how special it can be when it produces high-class drama.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who normally battle so masterfully on the track, have been separated by too much to deliver the kind of racing Ferrari helped to bring to the track on Sunday.

Nearly a decade ago, it's a battle that the higher ups at the Maranello-based team would certainly have shut down before it reached the point where its drivers made contact.

Thankfully, we may get some more of it after Fred Vasseur promised Ferrari's drivers will be allowed to fight each other on track for the rest of season.

Can we expect more this year?

Sadly, the ultra-low downforce characteristics of Monza helped to create the perfect storm for the battle witnessed by all this past weekend.

It's unlikely they will be so competitive again this year, with a wave of downforce and stability-dependent tracks in Asia on their way.

Lando Norris braves a wet track in Zandvoort

Our immediate hopes may lie with the resurgent McLarens, who will undoubtedly threaten to derail Red Bull's dominant season as they continue to develop the package.

Ferrari's drivers claimed the best possible result at Monza while helping to entertain their home crowd in a way never seen before at the 'Temple of Speed'.

If no success is to be delivered from 2023 for Ferrari, then this special Monza weekend, filled with thrills and spills on the track will be one of few high notes to remember.