WATCH: Monza turns red as Tifosi celebrates Charles Leclerc's iconic Italian GP win

The legendary Monza circuit turned into a sea of red as thousands of passionate Tifosi fans celebrated Charles Leclerc’s stunning victory at the Italian Grand Prix. The moment was nothing short of iconic, as Leclerc, the hero of Ferrari, claimed his second victory at Monza, exactly five years after his first, reigniting the fervour of the Italian fans.

Here is the video:

Olé, Olé, Olé 🙌

You've got some fans, @ScuderiaFerrari 😍#F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/q9QtMd3qF1

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 1, 2024

The race began with high hopes for McLaren’s Lando Norris, who started in pole position, aiming to close the gap on Max Verstappen in the championship standings. However, his aspirations were quickly dashed when he lost out to his teammate Oscar Piastri on the first lap. This set the stage for a race-long struggle as Norris found himself trailing Piastri, unable to make significant progress.

Ferrari, on the other hand, executed a masterclass in strategy, opting for a single pit stop for Leclerc. This decision proved crucial as it allowed the Monegasque driver to maintain enough life in his tyres to fend off the charging Piastri in the closing laps. The Tifosi erupted in joy as Leclerc crossed the finish line, securing a win that will be remembered for years to come.

What did Charles Leclerc say?

Reflecting on his victory, an elated Leclerc said, "It’s an incredible feeling. I thought that the first time would feel like this and the second time wouldn’t be as special. But my god, the emotions in the last few laps—Monaco and Monza are the two races I want to win every year, and I’ve managed to win them this year. It is so, so special."

For Norris, the race was a missed opportunity. Despite finishing third, his efforts to cut Verstappen’s championship lead were largely in vain. "Oscar drove a good race, and so did Charles. We struggled with front degradation, which held us back," Norris commented post-race.

George Russell, who started third, had hoped to challenge the McLarens but suffered damage to his front wing after contact with Piastri at the first corner. This incident saw him drop to eighth, with only a minor recovery to seventh by the end of the race. His Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, finished fifth but was left frustrated, lacking the pace to compete at the front.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, who began the race from seventh, continued to struggle with his Red Bull, which had once been the dominant car of the season. The Dutchman expressed his disappointment, saying, "It's up to the team to come with a lot of changes with the car because we went from a very dominant car to an undrivable car in the space of, what, six to eight months?"