[gmsabu]
In the round-up: Charles Leclerc says his fight with Lewis Hamilton in the Italian Grand Prix was at the limit of what the rules permit.
What they say
The Ferrari driver says his experience with Max Verstappen in Austria showed him he could drive more aggressively.
Since Austria it’s clear we can go a bit further in the way we defend and overtake and the aggressiveness of us drivers. I believe that Austria helped me to change this approach and today it’s also thanks to this that I managed to win. It was obviously very on the limit but I’m happy to race like this.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Never one to wear his heart on his sleeve; nice reference to Jody Scheckter’s 40 years since winning the #F1 World Championship here at Monza pic.twitter.com/TsFfs7KR41
— Maurice Hamilton (@MauriceHamilton) September 7, 2019
I’m sorry, I can’t take the stewards seriously when they’re sitting in one of those cheesy Sparco race seat office chairs @SpareSteward 😂
— Gavin Ward 🇨🇦 (@GDubRacer) September 8, 2019
Spectators in the press room cheering as Hamilton is forced to take action to prevent hitting Leclerc.
— Ben Hunt (@benjhunt) September 8, 2019
No Carmen at the end of the podium and a very odd end to it before a DJ starts playing Euro pop from that amazing podium…..change is good but some tweaking is needed….
— Ben Constanduros (@BenConsty) September 8, 2019
Hamilton responds to the booing at Monza. #F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/6EInVoiH21
— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) September 8, 2019
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
The boys battle through at Monza (Racing Point)
Otmar Szafnauer: "Lance’s race was destroyed when Vettel hit him in the Ascari chicane on lap seven. The subsequent undeservedly harsh penalty dropped Lance out of contention for the points."
"When Daniil re-joined the race, he was in P6 and had great pace, so I think he could have finished in P6 or P7 if he didn’t have to retire due to an oil leak."
"my race pace is getting better with the car and I feel I have made a good step up from Spa so personally speaking I am happy."
Double podium for Valtteri and Lewis at Monza (Mercedes)
Andrew Shovlin: "We know where we need to work; our qualifying pace has dropped from where we were at the start of the season and we need more speed in a straight line. We’ve known that for some time now but having weekends like the two we have just had will motivate everyone in Brackley and Brixworth to get on top of these weaknesses. "
Post sprint race press conference (F2)
Jack Aitken: "I think everyone knows that at this track the tow is quite powerful. I was maybe a bit naughty doing my weaving on the straight but I was just trying to break the tow and I was trying to make sure I was always stopping when people got close."
Organisers to select 1,000 volunteers for Hanoi F1 race (VN Express)
"The volunteers will be in charge of 20 different positions on the track, including firefighting, providing medical assistance, weighing cars, cleaning tracks and responding to emergencies."
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Comment of the day
Yesterday marked a new low for Sebastian Vettel:
It’s quite concerning to see the decline in Vettel’s driving over the last year.
I was a fan when it wasn’t fashionable, and think his past reputation as the “crash kid” was unfair. He certainly has struggled when the car is not to his liking, which is something that Alonso and Hamilton haven’t suffered from.
Last year saw an increase in clumsy errors which cost him a serious run at the title.
This year, the errors have turned dangerous. Today was exceptionally dangerous. I think Vettel should seriously consider hanging up his helmet before things get any worse.
In past seasons, Ferrari would have sacked a driver for a performance like that in front of the home crowd. He’s a smart guy but something is missing now when he is in the car.
David
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On this day in F1
- 40 years ago today Jody Scheckter won the world championship and scored his final grand prix win after Ferrari team mate Gilles Villeneueve dutifully followed him home at Monza
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
9th September 2019, 1:17
I agreed with CoTD. A Ferrari driver performing like Vettel, especially a “Number 1”, would not have stood under the Old Man, LdM or Marchionne.
Seb is done, he seems to have fallen out of love with racing. There is nothing wrong with that.
RP (@slotopen)
9th September 2019, 2:12
Yeah, I agree with COTD too. I think it is clear something has changed with Vettel. I’m sure the Red Bull flattered him, but still, 4 WDC, 9 straight wins means something. I don’t know what changed, but something did.
Indeed, it might be time.
Initially
9th September 2019, 6:17
IMO something changed since Baku 2017. He’s not been the same. Only at times. Start of 2018 he was amazing again. Then from germany on he’s just gone. Always been a huge fan, but lately I’m almost worried.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
9th September 2019, 7:27
Agreed. Been a fan since his first win, but it’s time for him to look in the mirror and ask some questions. No shame if he decides to move on (haters gonna hate, no matter what).
Bruno Verrari
9th September 2019, 13:11
+1
I also wish his luck returned and VET could fight a few good races this year, that could lead to a real title challenge next year – even if LEC is a hard nut…Forza Verrari!!!
Jon (@johns23)
9th September 2019, 1:39
Well done to the stewards, warning was perfect for Leclerc, thats all it needed
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th September 2019, 1:45
Verstappen should have won in austria, leeis shouldn’t have won in canada and leclerc shouldn’t have won in Italy. Is that what you want?
nase
9th September 2019, 9:29
No one? Okay, I’ll be the one to ask:
What?
David BR (@david-br)
9th September 2019, 11:04
nase, I presumed @peartree detected sarcasm when there wasn’t any.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
10th September 2019, 23:47
@david-br It’s another technique, barging into threads. Hypocrisy is deadly, I don’t even agree with the warning. You young bloods only want to see your boys win, everything on a silver platter.
nase
12th September 2019, 8:59
I have to reiterate:
What.
Bruno Verrari
9th September 2019, 13:14
LEC in Austria, VET in Canada and VET in Italy (qualifying on top after LEC’s drag payback; in the first run, Seb gave him those two-three tenths…)uno Verrari
Kevin C (@kev-f1)
9th September 2019, 9:33
A warning for the incident was fine, if that’s what’s going to be done going forwards… but then to ignore him cutting the corner and maintaining an advantage after being give the black and white flag wasn’t the right call by the Stewards!
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th September 2019, 1:46
Kvyat had an oil leak.. as the turbo exploded to bits.
Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
9th September 2019, 2:48
I think Hamilton needs to harden up a bit and stop commenting on the booing. It just makes him look weak. Most drivers/sports people get booed occasionally when at a venue that is a rivals home venue and simply ignore it and get on with life.
The constant commenting on trivial things like fans booing (and it really wasn’t that bad) comes across as finger pointing from somebody with a holier than thou attitude.
Edvaldo
9th September 2019, 3:28
I said the same thing here the other day and some bloke compared with that incident with spanish fans 11 years ago suggesting he being booed as a sign of racism.
What does he want? To Ferrari fans treat him like their idol, he being the guy who is constantly beating their cars? That’s easy to solve. Sign a deal with Ferrari and they will never do it again. They will treat him like a God!
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
9th September 2019, 3:48
The Spanish thing was also ‘rivalry’ related (with Alonso), but it was also racism. Ferrari fans booing him as a Ferrari rival isn’t racist, unless they do it in a racist manner.
Applebook
9th September 2019, 4:33
The Ferrari fans are entitled to boo, and Lewis is entitled to comment, and you’re entitled to have your opinion.
Why is it OK to silence only those with whom you disagree?
In any event, relentless booing of a driver when he has done nothing is classless and just makes the crowd look like idiots.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th September 2019, 6:16
If the media was less bias. People wouldn’t mind Lewis much. Schumi wasn’t that hated, seb got hated a bit, the finger. ham gets a bit from everyone as he’s the spoiled kid of f1, 2 of the most dominant periods in f1 into 1.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
9th September 2019, 7:33
@homerlovesbeer
We all know Lewis likes to play mind games. Might he be following Oscar Wilde’s advice?
“Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much.”
Ivan Vinitskyy (@ivan-vinitskyy)
9th September 2019, 8:37
@homerlovesbeer He’s complaining about booing. You complain about him complaining about booing. Not cool, stop it!
macradar (@macradar)
9th September 2019, 5:45
Interesting times coming between Leclerc and Max and many many collisions too.
It will be interesting to see which of the two see the bigger picture first in much the way Lewis did today. To Lewis it’s now about the championship.
As Toto said :
Wolff said Hamilton’s actions avoided contact between the pair. “The racing was very hard, maybe over the line.” he said. “Lewis I think was instrumental in not making it an incident.
If the WDC was a foregone conclusion, Leclerc might have had a very interesting lesson today and at any rate he was very lucky not to be penalised for his shenanigans but that aside, he drove brilliantly and I am a Lewis fan unashamedly so, and a Kimi one before that, and a Damon one before that, and a Giles one before that (still vividly remember the accident) and still remember my very first F1 at Kyalami in ’73. Took pictures with my Halina in B&W! My friend would count and I would click. I think I got 3 pictures from a roll of 12! The good ole days! and good old SA!
Lums (@lums)
9th September 2019, 10:46
@macradar
very fine take on the matter and thanks for the trip down your personal memory lane.
I dont think you should be wary of how your opinion would be taken cos you support Lewis too.
Jere (@jerejj)
9th September 2019, 7:38
”It cost us at the end of the race, as we finished only three seconds from P9.”
– P10 actually.
I agree with the COTD.
Maisch (@maisch)
9th September 2019, 8:02
Judging by the amount of press these things has gotten i wonder how it would ever be possible to race without sterile DRS overtakes that are complete risk free. Im no megafan of either of the drivers, I just want a fun race, but racing also needs some room, they cant make the perfect decisions all the time, its about split second decisions, sometimes it probably ends up a bit nasty even though they probably didnt intended too. (Except for the stupid stuff of course like Vettels return to the track, and some of Max crashes etc that are very intentional)
Matteo (@m-bagattini)
9th September 2019, 8:45
Booing is not hating
Zafka (@jjlehto)
9th September 2019, 10:07
Gotta love how Leclerc keeps getting Max’ overtake in Austria in FIA’s face. Had it not been for that overtake I feel he would not have pushed Lewis so hard.
hobo (@hobo)
9th September 2019, 14:29
@jjlehto – Exactly.
LEC learned in Austria that it doesn’t matter if you are fully alongside, the inside driver can push you off. LEC pushed less in Monza than VER did in Austria. I’m not saying it is right or wrong—though I have my opinions—but LEC learned the lesson that he cannot expect others to play fair, and he applied it in Italy.
hamiledon
9th September 2019, 10:12
Leclerc defeated both mercedes drivers and won a well deserved race.
rob91
9th September 2019, 12:17
I think that Leclerc should have been given a penalty for cutting the chicane seeing how others have been penilised in the past for similar incidents, especially since he had already been warned for driving Hamilton off earlier in the race.
Vettel and Stroll were very silly to cross the circuit right after spinning, they could have caused a very serious accident. I think they both should have been black flagged because it was not acceptable driving at all.