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The 2022 F1 Italian GP is upon us in what is the third race of the triple-header. Here, the passionate Tifosi go out of their way to support Ferrari, which makes this race the one to keep an eye on.
As we head to the race this time around, Ferrari is in a much better place this season. In the last two seasons, Ferrari had not won a race and stood no chance at Monza. This time around, the Italian squad is a frontrunner, and even though things have been a bit disappointing lately, there's still a chance for glory this weekend.
Max Verstappen is taking dominance in a championship to new heights. The driver has not had a car that is more than a tenth or two quicker than his opposition, and yet, he's on the verge of leveling Lewis Hamilton's best of most wins in a season(11). In the championship, there is more interest in P2 than P1, thanks to the Red Bull driver being such a clear favorite for the title.
Verstappen comes to the F1 Italian GP with a past record at the track that is unflattering at best. The driver has had two DNFs in the last two races and does not have a podium finish in seven attempts. So, how will he fare this weekend then? Let's go through that and more in our preview and predictions for the 2022 F1 Italian GP.
2022 F1 Italian GP: Preview
Key storylines
#1 Red Bull vs Mercedes vs Ferrari at Monza
The race at Zandvoort was a spectacle that not many were expecting. Many F1 pundits had written off any challenge to Red Bull and Max Verstappen from any team prior to the race, as they were the clear favorites.
That did not happen as we had an epic race that could've been even better had there not been the VSC or SC stoppages. Coming to the 2022 F1 Italian GP on a low downforce track, there are once again suggestions that Red Bull could replicate the form it had at Spa just two races ago. Can we see that happening? It would be interesting to see how it all pans out.
#2 McLaren vs Alpine in a battle for P4
Alpine is running away in the battle for P4 in the championship. The team had blown McLaren out of the water at Spa and even outscored the Woking-based squad on a high-downforce track like Zandvoort.
Heading into the Italian GP, McLaren is on the back foot! The track might have great memories from last season, but the car might not be good enough. It will be interesting to see what is the next chapter in this battle.
#3 The ridiculous fixing allegations against AlphaTauri
In what turned out to be a rather ridiculous turn of events during the Dutch GP, Yuki Tsunoda's innocuous issue was made to look like something else. The allegations were underhandedly thrown towards AlphaTauri because of its relationship with Red Bull and how the VSC helped Max Verstappen.
These allegations got so out of hand that AlphaTauri had to come out with a statement on social media stating that such allegations are purely nonsensical.
Having said that, it has drawn a cloud over the coverage of the race as many fans have started pointing fingers at SkyF1 presenters David Croft and Ted Kravitz for how these things were insinuated. There is a cloud over the way the F1 races are being telecasted, and it will be interesting to see what the next step is.
Form Guide
In Form
Alpine currently stands at P4 on the championship table, being 24 points ahead of fifth-placed McLaren. After decimating McLaren at Spa, Alpine was on the backfoot at Zandvoort as both their drivers started the race in P12 and P13.
By the time the chequered flag fell, one of the drivers was ahead of Lando Norris, while the other also finished in points. Alpine had outscored McLaren on a track that suited the Woking-based squad. It will be very interesting to see how the Italian GP turns out for the in-form Alpine.
Out of Form
Ferrari's post-summer break form should be a concern for the team. Not only has the team suffered in operations, but there has also been a lack of overall performance from the car. The car was not a match in the race trim at Spa, and even Zandvoort. Heading to the Italian GP, Ferrari would be desperate to contend for a win and it will be interesting to see how the low downforce setup works for the team.
2022 F1 Italian GP: Predictions
Who wins the race?
At the present time, it's hard to look beyond Max Verstappen. Red Bull is a rocket ship on the straights. We have seen Ferrari cut into that advantage on tracks like Red Bull Ring and Paul Ricard, but Spa threw everything out of the window.
There is a question mark over where the teams end up however, because we have not seen all of the cars run the low downforce setups. Having said that, Red Bull should still hold the advantage. At the F1 Italian GP, unless something special happens, we're backing Max Verstappen to pick up another win this season.
Surprise of the weekend (Team)
If there is a team that inherently has no downforce on the car and is a rocket ship on the straights, then that's Williams. Alex Albon was the surprise of the weekend at Spa as he made full use of the low downforce package and scored points. For Monza, keep an eye out for Williams springing a surprise once again.
Surprise of the weekend (Driver)
Fernando Alonso is turning up at every race showcasing why Alpine made such a huge mistake by letting him slip through their fingers. The drive around Zandvoort was sensational from the Spaniard and he would be eagerly waiting for the Italian GP.
Alpine is one of the more efficient cars in the straight line and it was evident at Spa as well. The team should have the fastest car in the midfield, but keep an eye on Alonso as he tries to do some giant killing and maybe scalp a driver or two from the top 6.
Disappointment of the weekend (Team)
McLaren has struggled quite a bit in the low downforce track. The car is inherently slow in the straight line and carries excess drag. Due to these deficiencies, the team struggled at Spa. And coming to the Italian GP, the Woking-based team can struggle once again as it gives up more points to Alpine.
Disappointment of the weekend (Driver)
Looking at Daniel Ricciardo recently, it does appear that the Australian's relationship with McLaren has somewhat deteriorated. The driver has been put through a lot since the summer break, and the revelations from the CRB trial would have left the Australian feeling a bit betrayed by the team.
The race at Zandvoort saw a rather poor performance from the driver on a track where the car was doing great. This coming weekend might see the Australian put together another listless performance for the team.
