The qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix of Formula 1 is already underway in Monza and has started with bad news for Fernando Alonso. The Asturian driver has been eliminated in the Q1, confirming the enormous difficulties that Aston Martin is suffering throughout the weekend at one of the circuits where power and top speed are of greater importance. (theguardian.com)
A better result has initially been achieved by Carlos Sainz, who has managed to surpass the first cut with his Williams and continues in the fight to improve his starting position. The session is especially tight, with very small differences between a good part of the single-seaters and with the slipstream playing a decisive role on the long straights of the so-called Temple of Speed.
The pole position is still not decided. George Russell arrives as one of the main favorites after having led both Free Practice 2 and Free Practice 3, while Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and the World Championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, also appear among the candidates for the top positions. (reuters.com)
Alonso, eliminated in Q1
The elimination of Fernando Alonso is not a great surprise after what was seen during the practices. The Aston Martin AMR26 has particularly suffered on the straights of Monza and the Spaniard had already finished 19th in both Free Practice 2 and Free Practice 3, far from the times necessary to aspire to the midfield of the grid. (formula1.com)
Alonso himself had warned before qualifying about the limitations of the combination formed by Aston Martin and the Honda power unit on a track of these characteristics. Monza keeps the cars at full throttle for approximately three-quarters of the lap, which especially punishes any deficit in power or efficiency.
Alongside the Asturian, other drivers such as Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, and Yuki Tsunoda have fallen in the first round, in a Q1 where Pierre Gasly managed to place himself at the top thanks to a particularly competitive lap and the use of the slipstream. (theguardian.com)
Sainz moves forward with Williams
Carlos Sainz has indeed managed to access Q2, an important result after a weekend in which Williams had also not shown the expected performance. The Madrilenian finished 16th in the last free practice and had previously acknowledged that Monza no longer represents the special opportunity that it historically meant for the British team. (as.com)
Williams has also resorted to the strategy of slipstreaming to try to maximize their speed. Alexander Albon was to collaborate with Sainz on the straights, a tactic that other teams are also using in a qualifying where a few tenths can determine elimination.
The Spanish driver's goal now is to try to get closer to the Q3 and the top 10, although the high equality in the midfield makes every attempt decisive.
Russell arrives as the man to beat
The reference before starting the qualifying has been George Russell. The Brit finished first in Free Practice 2 on Friday and again dominated this Saturday morning in Free Practice 3 with a time of 1:22.219.
Lewis Hamilton finished 0.226 seconds behind with the Ferrari and Max Verstappen was third at 0.350, while Antonelli, Norris, and Leclerc completed the top six positions. (reuters.com)
Mercedes has also used Kimi Antonelli to provide slipstream to Russell. The World Championship leader has little to lose in qualifying because he will have to start the race from the back of the grid after fitting new components to his power unit and exceeding the allowed limit during the season. (motorsport.com)
Antonelli will start from the back even if he has a good qualifying
Antonelli's penalty introduces an important peculiarity when configuring the final grid for Sunday. The Italian can qualify in the top positions this Saturday, but he will have to move back to the back due to his engine change.
Mercedes has strategically accepted that penalty in Monza, a circuit where the long straights offer greater overtaking opportunities than other layouts. Antonelli also arrives as the clear leader of the championship, with 59 points ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. (theguardian.com)
This means that the sporting classification this Saturday and the final starting grid will not necessarily coincide, as the corresponding penalties will have to be applied later.
The race will be this Sunday at 15:00 hours
The classification will decide the starting positions for the Italian Grand Prix, which will take place this Sunday, September 6 at 15:00 hours at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
The race will consist of 53 laps over a circuit of 5.793 kilometers, one of the fastest on the calendar. The qualifying session this Saturday began at 16:00 hours and is divided, as usual, into Q1, Q2, and Q3. (formula1.com)
For now, the main news for the Spaniards is clear: Fernando Alonso has been eliminated in Q1 and Carlos Sainz remains alive in the qualifying. The pole and the final grid will be resolved with the last laps of Q3 and the subsequent application of penalties.