The 2022 Italian Grand Prix at Monza delivered a dramatic spectacle, culminating in a masterful victory for Max Verstappen, despite starting from a grid penalty. The ‘Temple of Speed’ lived up to its name, providing thrilling on-track action and strategic intrigue, ultimately concluding under contentious Safety Car conditions. This race would become a significant chapter in Verstappen’s dominant championship season, showcasing Red Bull’s formidable pace and strategic prowess.
From the outset, Verstappen, beginning the race from seventh position due to a power unit penalty, demonstrated an unstoppable charge through the field. His ascent was remarkably swift, moving up to third place by just the second lap. By lap five, he had effortlessly overtaken George Russell, setting up a direct confrontation with pole-sitter Charles Leclerc. This early surge underscored Red Bull’s superior raw pace, a factor that would heavily influence the race’s strategic unfolding.
For Scuderia Ferrari and their home hero, Charles Leclerc, the pressure to deliver a victory at Monza was immense. Recognizing the formidable speed advantage of Verstappen’s Red Bull, Ferrari knew a conventional one-stop strategy might not be enough. Their opportunity to try something different arose on lap 13 when Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin ground to a halt, prompting a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period. Ferrari seized this moment, opting to bring Leclerc in for a tyre change, swapping his softs for mediums – a clear indicator of a planned two-stop strategy, hoping to gain an advantage through fresh rubber later in the race.
However, fate had other plans. The VSC period concluded earlier than Ferrari might have hoped, preventing them from fully capitalizing on the potential time gains associated with a pit stop under caution. As the race unfolded, Verstappen’s perfectly executed one-stop strategy proved to be the winning hand. He managed his tyres expertly, maintaining a relentless pace that was simply too strong for Leclerc to counter, even after the Ferrari driver’s second stop. Despite being on fresher tyres, Leclerc’s lap times were not sufficiently quicker to pose a serious threat to the championship leader, solidifying Verstappen’s commanding lead and ultimate victory.
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Beyond the leading duo, the battle for the final podium spot and crucial points was equally intense. George Russell secured third place, fulfilling his pre-race prediction. Yet, his podium finish was significantly influenced by a late-race Safety Car period. Without this intervention, it’s highly probable that Carlos Sainz Jnr, who was on a sensational recovery drive from 18th on the grid in the other Ferrari, would have reeled in the Mercedes. The Safety Car was triggered on lap 46 when Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren came to a halt, leading to the controversial conclusion of the race under Safety Car conditions, much to the dismay of fans hoping for a final lap sprint.
Carlos Sainz Jnr’s performance was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Grand Prix. Starting alongside Lewis Hamilton from the back of the grid (Sainz 18th, Hamilton 19th), both on soft tyres, the Ferrari driver made conspicuously quicker progress. Sainz skillfully navigated through the field, utilizing the powerful slipstream at Monza to gain positions lap after lap. In stark contrast, Hamilton initially struggled to find a clear path, spending several frustrating laps behind Yuki Tsunoda and even being briefly overtaken by Mick Schumacher. This early race dynamic showcased the varying car performance and traffic management challenges faced by drivers starting out of position.
Hamilton’s race truly came alive after the Virtual Safety Car period. From that point, he mounted an impressive climb through the midfield, ultimately securing a respectable fifth-place finish. The decision by Race Control not to restart the race after the late Safety Car period inadvertently played into Hamilton’s hands. Had the race resumed for a final dash, he would have been highly vulnerable to cars behind him on significantly fresher tyres, potentially jeopardizing his hard-earned position. The conclusion under the Safety Car, while unsatisfying for some, ensured his strong finish.
The controversial ending sparked considerable debate, reminiscent of other Safety Car incidents in recent Formula 1 history. The non-restart was attributed to a combination of factors: the time-consuming operation to clear Daniel Ricciardo’s car from the track, and a significant delay in properly reorganizing the field behind the Safety Car. Crucially, the Safety Car initially picked up George Russell instead of the race leader, Max Verstappen, on lap 48. This error led to a prolonged period of the Safety Car being in front of the Mercedes before it eventually let Russell go, exacerbating the time crunch needed to get the field in order for a potential restart. As visualized in the race chart graphs, this mismanagement ate valuable laps.
Had the field been sorted more efficiently, the Monza crowd might have witnessed the thrilling last-lap restart they eagerly anticipated. However, unlike the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort just a week prior, where strategic tyre choices created a volatile scenario for a late restart, the leading quartet at Monza were all on relatively fresh rubber. This factor, combined with the difficulties in organizing the grid, made it doubtful whether a restart would have fundamentally altered the podium positions, even if it had occurred. Nevertheless, the decision left a sour taste for many, igniting discussions about the consistency and application of F1’s Safety Car regulations.
The 2022 Italian Grand Prix provided a blend of commanding performance, strategic gambles, and nail-biting finishes, punctuated by late-race drama. Max Verstappen’s charge from seventh to first was a testament to his and Red Bull’s undeniable dominance, while Ferrari’s valiant attempt to claim a home victory through an alternative strategy ultimately fell short. The performances of drivers like Carlos Sainz Jnr and Lewis Hamilton, battling from the very back, further highlighted the competitive spirit of Formula 1, making this race a memorable event in a season filled with excitement and controversy.
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2022 Italian Grand Prix Lap Chart
The positions of each driver on every lap. Click name to highlight, right-click to reset. Toggle drivers using controls below:
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2022 Italian Grand Prix Race Chart
The gaps between each driver on every lap compared to the leader’s average lap time. Very large gaps omitted. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan and right-click to reset. Toggle drivers using controls below:
Position Change: 2022 Italian Grand Prix
| Driver | Start Position | Lap One Position Change | Race Position Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | 19 | 0 | 14 |
| George Russell | 2 | 0 | -1 |
| Max Verstappen | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| Sergio Perez | 13 | -2 | 7 |
| Charles Leclerc | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| Carlos Sainz Jnr | 18 | 2 | 14 |
| Lando Norris | 3 | -3 | -4 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | 4 | 1 | |
| Esteban Ocon | 14 | 1 | 3 |
| Fernando Alonso | 6 | -1 | |
| Pierre Gasly | 5 | 0 | -3 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | 20 | 2 | 6 |
| Lance Stroll | 12 | 1 | |
| Sebastian Vettel | 11 | 1 | |
| Nyck De Vries | 8 | 0 | -1 |
| Nicholas Latifi | 10 | -4 | -5 |
| Valtteri Bottas | 15 | -5 | 2 |
| Zhou Guanyu | 9 | 0 | -1 |
| Mick Schumacher | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| Kevin Magnussen | 16 | 4 | 0 |
2022 Italian Grand Prix Lap Times
All the lap times by the drivers (in seconds, very slow laps excluded). Scroll to zoom, drag to pan and toggle drivers using the control below:
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2022 Italian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
Each driver’s fastest lap:
| Rank | Driver | Car | Fastest Lap | Gap | On Lap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1’24.030 | 46 | |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’24.336 | 0.306 | 38 |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’24.420 | 0.390 | 39 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’24.434 | 0.404 | 43 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’24.718 | 0.688 | 43 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1’24.745 | 0.715 | 38 |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’25.288 | 1.258 | 40 |
| 8 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | 1’25.298 | 1.268 | 43 |
| 9 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’25.706 | 1.676 | 45 |
| 10 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’26.361 | 2.331 | 41 |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’26.593 | 2.563 | 37 |
| 12 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’26.603 | 2.573 | 39 |
| 13 | Nyck De Vries | Williams-Mercedes | 1’26.624 | 2.594 | 41 |
| 14 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | 1’26.718 | 2.688 | 30 |
| 15 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’26.798 | 2.768 | 37 |
| 16 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | 1’26.798 | 2.768 | 17 |
| 17 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | 1’26.857 | 2.827 | 43 |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | 1’27.203 | 3.173 | 7 |
| 19 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’27.467 | 3.437 | 34 |
| 20 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’27.501 | 3.471 | 4 |
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2022 Italian Grand Prix Tyre Strategies
The tyre strategies for each driver, detailing compound usage and stint lengths:
| Driver | Stint 1 (Laps) | Stint 2 (Laps) | Stint 3 (Laps) | Stint 4 (Laps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | C4 (25) | C3 (23) | C4 (5) | |
| Charles Leclerc | C4 (12) | C3 (21) | C4 (15) | C4 (5) |
| George Russell | C4 (23) | C2 (24) | C4 (6) | |
| Carlos Sainz Jnr | C3 (30) | C4 (17) | C4 (6) | |
| Lewis Hamilton | C3 (33) | C4 (20) | ||
| Sergio Perez | C3 (7) | C2 (35) | C4 (11) | |
| Lando Norris | C3 (35) | C4 (12) | C4 (6) | |
| Pierre Gasly | C3 (18) | C2 (35) | ||
| Nyck De Vries | C4 (19) | C3 (34) | ||
| Zhou Guanyu | C3 (18) | C2 (35) | ||
| Esteban Ocon | C4 (19) | C2 (34) | ||
| Mick Schumacher | C3 (33) | C4 (20) | ||
| Valtteri Bottas | C3 (35) | C4 (17) | ||
| Yuki Tsunoda | C3 (19) | C2 (28) | C4 (5) | |
| Nicholas Latifi | C3 (15) | C2 (32) | C4 (5) | |
| Kevin Magnussen | C3 (24) | C2 (22) | C4 (6) | |
| Daniel Ricciardo | C3 (19) | C2 (26) | ||
| Lance Stroll | C3 (18) | C2 (21) | ||
| Fernando Alonso | C3 (31) | |||
| Sebastian Vettel | C3 (10) |
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2022 Italian Grand Prix Pit Stop Times
A detailed breakdown of how long each driver’s pit stops took during the race:
| Driver | Team | Pit Stop Time | Gap | On Lap | |
| 1 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 23.299 | 42 | |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 23.531 | 0.232 | 12 |
| 3 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 23.698 | 0.399 | 7 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 23.719 | 0.420 | 48 |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 23.728 | 0.429 | 30 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 23.791 | 0.492 | 25 |
| 7 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 23.904 | 0.605 | 33 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 23.904 | 0.605 | 47 |
| 9 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 24.009 | 0.710 | 19 |
| 10 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 24.091 | 0.792 | 48 |
| 11 | George Russell | Mercedes | 24.114 | 0.815 | 47 |
| 12 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 24.254 | 0.955 | 18 |
| 13 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | 24.263 | 0.964 | 47 |
| 14 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 24.282 | 0.983 | 33 |
| 15 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 24.336 | 1.037 | 19 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 24.525 | 1.226 | 47 |
| 17 | Nyck De Vries | Williams | 24.628 | 1.329 | 19 |
| 18 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 24.758 | 1.459 | 35 |
| 19 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 24.784 | 1.485 | 47 |
| 20 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | 24.817 | 1.518 | 33 |
| 21 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 24.846 | 1.547 | 46 |
| 22 | George Russell | Mercedes | 25.075 | 1.776 | 23 |
| 23 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 25.164 | 1.865 | 19 |
| 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 25.366 | 2.067 | 18 |
| 25 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | 25.376 | 2.077 | 18 |
| 26 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 26.714 | 3.415 | 35 |
| 27 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | 26.782 | 3.483 | 15 |
| 28 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 30.164 | 6.865 | 24 |
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