Seb eyes Moss’ record
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX: TRACK HOLDS SPECIAL MEMORIES FOR GERMAN
Sebastian Vettel can close the gap, or even overhaul it, when he takes on championship leader Lewis Hamilton again this weekend in what should be a supercharged Italian Grand Prix.
Just days after his convincing victory in Belgium, where Hamilton admitted his Mercedes was “blown away” by the power and straight-line speed of Vettel’s Ferrari, Vettel should enjoy the scarlet scuderia’s homecoming.
On Ferrari’s local track and in front of the tifosi, at the famous old Autodromo Nazionale, the German can also equal Stirling Moss’s 1950s record of winning at Monza with three different teams if he delivers Ferrari’s first home win since 2010.
Monza holds special memories for Vettel after his wins with Toro Rosso in 2008 and then Red Bull in 2011 and 2013. His maiden win in torrential rain a decade ago remains Toro Rosso’s greatest hour and the moment that signalled he was a future champion.
Another victory this weekend would draw him level with Hamilton on four wins and, if the Briton suffers ill-fortune, could also catapult Vettel into the lead in the drivers’ championship.
Hamilton, who has been on pole at Monza for the last four years and five in six, is ahead by 17 points, but it is Vettel who has the confidence and momentum.
“I think we did everything right at Spa, but it’s a huge compliment if people praise our engine now because for the last five years people didn’t praise anything other than Mercedes engines,” said Vettel.
“Now, we have a good car that seems to work everywhere, so hopefully we can carry that momentum and speed into Monza.”
“It’s nice to have a change and I think all this makes Maranello and all the Ferraristi and our engine department very happy.”
Vettel has finished on the podium at Monza three times as a Ferrari driver – second in 2015 and third in 2016 and 2017. A Ferrari win this weekend would not only reinforce their charge toward the title, but also end four years of Mercedes domination here.
Rivals Red Bull will hope they can stay in touch with their Renault engine, but expect to be a greater threat to the front-runners in Singapore at the end of September. Daniel Ricciardo will take a new power unit and penalties that leave him at the back of the grid. –