2024 F1 Italian GP: Race Predictions

The 2024 F1 Italian GP is going to be the second race after the summer break. The first race was in Zandvoort, and it saw McLaren and Lando Norris obliterate the field and secure a dominant win.

The F1 Italian GP, however, comes with completely different challenges and, most importantly, a completely different crowd. You won't have the orange mist in Monza, but rest assured there will be a red haze from the Tifosi.

Home to arguably the most passionate fanbase in the sport, what can we expect from the F1 Italian GP? Let's take a look.

#5 Haas and Williams will contest for points

While the race in Zandvoort saw Aston Martin and Alpine contest for points, things would change a bit in the F1 Italian GP as the track demands change. Expect teams like Williams (who is heavily upgraded at this stage) and Haas (who tends to have impressive straight-line speed) to be the teams that surge ahead.

#4 Mercedes will be fourth-fastest

Mercedes left Zandvoort disappointed because the car did look good on Friday. Coming to Monza, however, if there is a team with the biggest question marks all over it, then it is the German team, and for the F1 Italian GP, the team might find itself 4th behind McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull.

#3 Alpine is going to have a disaster of a weekend

Alpine/Renault's power unit has continued to fall back on the grid for years now and the biggest race where this gets exposed every season is the F1 Italian GP. The cars are right at the back because the engine grunt is just not there. When that's happening, it makes it hard to be competitive in any way.

This weekend is once again a write-off for Alpine, as the team has just no solution to counter such a massive power deficit.

#2 Red Bull might struggle because of the kerbs

Other than the hurdles faced during development in general, the key area where Red Bull has primarily struggled is the inability to ride the kerbs. Monza is not notorious for this but there are certainly sections like the Ascari and the first major breaking zone that could be a cause for concern. Red Bull and Max Verstappen should fare better than Zandvoort but the team might not be as close to the front as they would have hoped for.

#1 Charles Leclerc wins the F1 Italian GP

If this happens, it's going to please a lot of people. Ferrari continues to be a fan favorite, and so does Charles Leclerc. The young driver first shone in the limelight in 2019 when he won the race by beating the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Heading into the F1 Italian GP this weekend, the challenge is huge for Charles Leclerc. McLaren and Red Bull are certainly going to be threats. However, the car tends to do well in the low downforce configuration and the pace shown by Ferrari in Zandvoort should be a sign that the team is starting to find its groove with the new upgrades.

For this race weekend, we're hoping for something special and a win for Charles Leclerc has a nice ring to it.