2024 F1 Italian GP: Preview and Predictions

The 2024 F1 Italian GP marks the return of the circus to the temple of speed. The track at Monza has been an iconic addition made even better by the presence of the Tifosi. Ferrari's loyal fans are going to swarm the track as soon as the race is done in what would be the familiar sea of red that symbolizes possibly the biggest fanbase in the sport.

What's going to make the 2024 F1 Italian GP even more interesting is the fact that the race comes at a very interesting point in the season. McLaren dominated Red Bull at the last race in Zandvoort, and what this has done is leave the championship wide open. Even though there is a 70-point gap between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, one bad race weekend with a DNF could raise the alarm at Milton Keynes.

To add to this, we're going to race at Ferrari's home track, a race that the Italian team last won in 2019. With that being said, what can we expect from the 2024 F1 Italian GP? Let's take a look.

2024 F1 Italian GP: Preview

Key Storylines

#1 Kimi Antonelli's debut in F1

Not many fans have yet realized the magnitude of what we might get to witness this weekend as Kimi Antonelli gets his first run in an F1 car, with Lewis Hamilton driving the second car.

If Kimi is as good as so many have envisioned, then this moment might just be the one that everybody looks back to when the Italian has established himself in the sport. Rest assured everyone would be keeping an eye on Kimi Antonelli's first try in an F1 car and they would be keeping an eye on the laptimes and comparing it to the F1 great.

#2 Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris?

The race in Zandvoort should have sent a shockwave at Milton Keynes because what McLaren did that weekend was utter dominance. There's still a 70-point gap between the two drivers, but Max would be keeping an eye on every move his title rival makes from now on. It does appear that the battle lines have now been drawn, and what remains is the response that the reigning champions can muster.

#3 Ferrari bringing upgrades

The last time Ferrari brought upgrades was in Barcelona, and the manner in which the car tumbled down the order was drastic, at the very least. After months of trying to understand these upgrades, the Italian team is scheduled to bring a few new parts for the F1 Italian GP.

If they work, it would propel the team forward, but at the same time, there is always the fear of what could happen if they don't work, just like it happened last time.

Form Guide

On Form

Lando Norris turned heads at Zandvoort, not only with the nature of the driving or the kind of advantage he had. It was the overall demeanor where he knew that he had pace in reserve and Max Verstappen jumping him at the start was not going to be much of an issue. The F1 Italian GP should be viewed by Lando as just another race that he would be competitive in. It will be interesting to see what approach he has after picking up his second career win.

Out of Form

It's hard to say that Red Bull is out of form, especially because the team was still second-fastest in Zandvoort but once you look at the 20+ second gap to the front, there is no argument. The team is heading to the F1 Italian GP on the backfoot, and a strong showing is almost becoming a necessity now for the squad.

2024 F1 Imola GP: Predictions

Who will win the race?

We're going to be swayed a bit by the fact that it's Monza and we'll pick Charles Leclerc as the winner for the F1 Italian GP. It's not as wild a prediction as it seems right now because Ferrari has seen improvements in performance in the last few races. The car does well over the kerbs, and that is important because there are a few on this track.

To add to this, the car tends to do better on low downforce tracks, and the team is bringing the upgrades. You add that all up and spray some magic dust from Charles Leclerc, and a win in Monza could be a reality.

Surprise of the weekend (Team)

While Zandvoort saw teams like Aston Martin, Williams, and Alpine surge, we're going to see something similar with Haas this weekend in the low downforce configuration of Monza. The car tends to have a strong straight-line speed, and that could be an asset in the F1 Italian GP. Expect the team to surge as the fifth-fastest here and score points.

Surprise of the weekend (Driver)

Alex Albon was one of the stars of the F1 Italian GP last season. This time around, once again, Williams heads to Monza with an upgraded car. Keep an eye on the Thai driver this weekend. He lost out on points in Zandvoort after being disqualified on Saturday, but the pace from Williams was impressive, and there could be a good result that Albon can put together.

Disappointment of the weekend (Team)

Red Bull is not going to have the best weekend in the F1 Italian GP. The biggest weakness for the team has been the kerbs. The more aggressive the kerb, the more precision a driver needs and the car just doesn't ride them.

This has been something that has plagued the RB20 and continues to still do so. Expect Red Bull to be the third-fastest car in the F1 Italian GP behind McLaren and Ferrari.

Disappointment of the weekend (Driver)

Sergio Perez was decent enough at Zandvoort as the driver was not too far behind his teammate Max Verstappen. At the F1 Italian GP, something similar would be expected from the Mexican as the car might struggle. The problem with Perez is that his competition is with other teams like Mercedes and Ferrari, which probably have better drivers at this stage.

When that happens, the results will be hard to come by, and unfortunately, that's the fate that awaits Sergio Perez this weekend. The Mexican would be a bit disappointing this weekend as the team tries to mount a fightback in the championship.