© Getty ImagesRace Changing Moments: Italian Grand Prix 2023The Team made history at the Italian Grand Prix with so much to celebrate, here are the best bits.
The2023ItalianGrandPrixwillbeoneforthehistorybookswheretheTeam’sextendedthebenchmarkinonerecord,andMaxbrokeanother.
It was one of the most explosive and tense races we’ve had so far this season and with the Tifosi willing the Ferraris to win, the Bulls had a lot to contend with all weekend. Here are the highs and lows from another exciting Italian GP…
We were always going to start with this! Max Verstappen has now won more races in a row than any other Formula One driver in the history of the sport.
Although the stronger-willed Bulls fans will say it was never in doubt, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz put up a good fight and had people worried that the record might not be broken. Max was following the Ferrari’s exhaust closely and stayed within DRS for the first 15 laps. Sainz seemed to be handling the pressure of a Bull breathing down his neck well, but on the start of lap 15, he locked up going into the chicane and by the following turn Max took the lead and was on his way to his 10th race win in a row, eclipsing the record held by Sebastian Vettel that he set in 2009 when he won the last nine races of the season to claim his fourth title.
10 Of The Finest© Getty Images
I’llSeeYour10AndRaiseYou15
Although the most wins in a row for a constructor was officially held by McLaren with 11, until this season, certain parts of the media were claiming the actual number was 14 due to non-championship races held in the early days of Formula One. But with the Team winning in Italy and standing on the top step of the podium for the 15th time in a row, there can now be no doubt that Oracle Red Bull Racing can now claim the title of constructor with the most consecutive wins.
Max Celebrating With His Team© Getty Images
FrustratingFridayForCheco
At the end of Free Practice Two, it wasn’t looking great for Checo, with his RB19 in the gravel trap at the Parabolica which you’d think would be a concern. However, if he was worried, he didn’t show it.
With only five minutes remaining in the session, as Checo was exiting the final turn, he suffered from understeer and his wheels dipped into the gravel trap and pulled him in where his car beached. It meant the Team missed out on some additional data for the rest of the weekend, but now we’re through the other end of the weekend we can confidently say that it didn’t impact performance.
Checo wasn’t phased and after the session was quoted as saying it was a positive day and that he would be in good shape for the rest of the weekend – how right he was.
A Happy Checo© Getty Images
For qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix, the FIA decided that there would be a mandated tyre choice for each session – a structure that was also trialled back in Hungary. Drivers would have to use hard tyres for Q1, mediums for Q2 and the red-walled soft tyres for Q3.
The Bulls were unfazed and Max took P1 in both Q1 and Q2, with Checo in P5 and P4 in the first two sessions.
In Q3 as the final seconds counted down, Max put in a lap time of 1:20.294 and knocked Charles Leclerc off the top spot, but Sainz then came in and beat Max’s time by just 0.013s and prevented Max taking his ninth pole of the season, but starting a race in P2 didn’t worry Max, in 2022 he started the race in P7 and still took the win.
Locked And Loaded© Getty Images
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We all know how well Checo can defend a position, but at the Italian Grand Prix, his best line of defence was attack, attack, attack.
Starting in P5 he had George Russell, two Ferraris and Max in front of him. After being on the rear of Russell for the opening tours of the track, he made his move on lap 16, taking Russell on the inside at turn one to get into P4.
Apart from defence, Checo is also highly regarded for how he can make his tyres last. So as others in front went into the pits to throw on hard tyres, Checo stayed out an extra lap to lead the race.
After Checo pitted he returned to the action in P7. He was still ahead of Russell, but behind the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Once they had pitted, he had Leclerc in front.
Putting In The Laps© Getty Images
On lap 32 Checo powered past the Ferrari into a podium position. After he took P3 he was 3.5s behind Sainz. Checo made up that deficit in 11 laps and Sainz knew he was in for a fight. Every time Checo tried to get in front of the Spanish driver he defended aggressively.
This dance continued for several laps, but on his third attempt Checo managed to get in front of the Spaniard. He was then able to pull away from both Sainz and Leclerc as they battled for the final podium spot. Checo’s P2 was his eighth of the season and the Team’s sixth 1-2 finish of the season ¬– the most in a season for the Bulls!
Not a bad at the office for the team!
