Winner McLaren's British driver Lando Norris celebrates during the podium ceremony after the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix at The Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands, 2024. Photo: AFP
Lando Norris won by a mighty margin in Formula One leader Max Verstappen's Dutch backyard last weekend and the McLaren driver aims to carry the momentum to Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix this weekend.
The Briton will need more than another commanding victory, however, to slash the 70-point lead enjoyed by Verstappen, winner for the last two years at Monza's superfast 'Temple of Speed'.
Ferrari, Mercedes and his own Australian teammate Oscar Piastri -- who had the fastest lap at the circuit near Milan last year -- could all help if they were to finish between Norris and Verstappen.
Sunday's race is the last European round of the season and Ferrari will want to give their fans some cheer after an up and down campaign so far.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, on pole last year, celebrates his 30th birthday on race day with Ferrari bringing upgrades to both their cars.
Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton winning at the fast Spa and Silverstone circuits, could also be contenders after a run of three triumphs in four races ended in an 'off weekend' at Zandvoort.
Red Bull, now on a five-race losing streak and only 30 points clear of McLaren in the constructors' standings, cannot be counted out either on a track that has been completely resurfaced for the first time in more than a century.
"Anyone could be on top. Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, us," shrugged Norris when asked at Zandvoort, where he finally managed to win from pole for the first time, whether McLaren could take their form to Italy.
"Monza is a completely different circuit. So we'll keep our heads down and keep chipping away."
The British team had a one-two at Monza in 2021, with Norris second to then-teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
Verstappen, second at Zandvoort with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc third, said he would wait and see.
"Of course, in Monza, a lot is new. You know, Tarmac, kerbs, even the layout in turn one, two," said the triple champion. "Also that, we need to understand a bit more. But, yeah, we know that we have quite a bit of work to do."
Charles LeClerc in a Ferrari at Monza in 2022. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Team mate Sergio Perez, whose low-scoring run of form has opened a door for McLaren, agreed.
"McLaren have obviously taken a huge step forward in their development and we know we need to work harder than ever to ensure we keep the lead in both championships," said the Mexican.
"Monza should be more positive conditions... we should be quick around here and we are ready for the fight."
Apart from the new surface leaving teams with learning to do, the weekend will have a new face on the grid after Williams dropped American Logan Sargeant and replaced him with Argentine F2 driver Franco Colapinto.
Mercedes will also be giving a Friday practice debut to Italian Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old widely expected to replace departing seven times world champion Hamilton next season.
Future Ferrari driver Hamilton meanwhile has the chance to win at Monza for a record sixth time.
Formula One statistics for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, round 16 of the 24-race championship:
Lap distance: 5.793km. Total distance: 306.720km (53 laps)
2023 pole position: Carlos Sainz (Spain) Ferrari one minute 20.294 seconds
2023 race winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull
Race lap record: One minute 21.046 seconds, Rubens Barrichello (Brazil), Ferrari 2004.
Start time: 1300GMT (1500 local)
Italy
The race will be the 75th Italian Grand Prix since the championship started in 1950, and 74th at Monza.
Built in 1922, Monza's 'Temple of Speed' has long straights and 11 corners with 76% of lap time at full throttle and top speeds of more than 350kph.
The track has been completely resurfaced for the first time since 1922, with new kerbs installed. The race can be one of the shortest of the year in total time, due to the high speeds.
Seven-times world champions Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the record of five wins each at Monza.
Other past winners are Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc, Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly.
Hamilton has started on pole seven times at Monza and set Formula One's fastest ever lap in 2020 qualifying at an average speed of 264.362kph.
The Italian and British Grands Prix are the only ones to have been on the calendar in every year since 1950. In 1980 the Italian round was held at Imola.
Ferrari have won 19 times at Monza, more than anyone else.
F1 drivers Lando Norris and Max Verstappen Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Standings
Verstappen leads McLaren's Lando Norris by 70 points after 15 races.
Red Bull are 30 ahead of McLaren in the constructors' championship.
Wins
Seven times world champion Hamilton has a record 105 career victories from 347 starts, Verstappen has 61 from 200.
Four teams -- Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes -- have won this season, the most since 2021 when Red Bull, Mercedes, Alpine and McLaren won.
Seven different drivers have triumphed, the most in a single season since 2012 when there were eight.
Red Bull have gone five races without a win -- Verstappen's longest losing streak since 2020.
Mercedes and McLaren have both won three times.
Verstappen has won seven of 15, with Ferrari's Sainz triumphant in Melbourne, Norris in Miami and the Netherlands, Leclerc in Monaco, Mercedes's George Russell in Spain, Hamilton in Britain and Belgium and McLaren's Oscar Piastri in Hungary.
Red Bull have won 120 races and are fourth in the all-time list. Ferrari lead with 245, McLaren have 186 and Mercedes 128.
Pole position
Hamilton has a record 104 career poles, his most recent in Hungary in July 2023.
Verstappen has had eight poles so far this year. That includes the first seven of the season, equalling Alain Prost's 1993 record, and eight in a row including the last race of 2023 -- equalling Ayrton Senna's 1988-89 record.
The Dutch driver was last on pole in Austria in June.
Leclerc took pole in Monaco and Belgium, Russell was fastest in Canada and Britain. Norris took the top spot in Spain, Hungary and the Netherlands.
Podiums
Verstappen has 108 career podiums, Hamilton a record 201.
Verstappen has been on the podium 10 times this season, Norris nine, Leclerc seven and Sainz five.
Milestone
The Dutch Grand Prix last weekend was the first time Norris had won from pole position.
Ferrari's Sainz turns 30 on race day.
Argentina, with Franco Colapinto making his race debut at Williams, will have a driver on the starting grid for the first time since Gaston Mazzacane in 2001.
Italian 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli will make his F1 race weekend debut in first Friday practice with Mercedes.
-Reuters