Italian Grand Prix (2011) RESULT

An exciting 2011 Italian Grand Prix

The F1 Grand Prix Circus returns to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. Vettel is once again on pole, but can he hold off the McLarens, never mind the Ferraris on their home turf?

Monza is home to the Italian Grand Prix and home to Ferrari. Which makes for a rather partisan – but very knowledgeable – crowd. All the ingredients for an exciting and successful race. But did Monza live up to its promise? Oh, yes.

Vettel was on pole with the two McLarens in second and third and Alonso, in Ferraris home Grand Prix, was in fourth. But from the off Alonso, buoyed by the roar of the crowd, swept past all three to take the lead to the exhultant roars of the crowd.

Behind Alonso mayhem ensued as Liuzi lost his HRT-Cosworth at the first corner giving Amrosio, Petrov and Rosberg an early bath in the process, and almost doing the same to Ricciardo, Barrichello and Kobayashi who had to pit for running repairs. A quiet start.

Good starts were made by not just Alonso, but Schumacher and Massa got the jump on Button too and left Jenson in sixth as the safety car came in after Liuzzi’s mishap.

The drama continued early on with Schumacher putting a move on Hamilton – a cat and mouse game that continued for much of the race – and Webber rear-ended Massa to end his own race – but not that of Massa.

Shortly after Vettel sailed past Alonso and something close to normal service resumed.

Vettel was in a league of his own, as he has been for most of this season, but the fight between Schumacher and Hamilton allowed Button – who settled in to his race nicely after an average start – to catch them both and sail past on lap 16.

Button settled in to hunt down Alonso and, to the groans of the Tifosi, relegated the Spaniard to third place on lap 36, after which the field pretty much settled in to a rhythm to the end.

Vettel is now so far ahead of the pack he’d need to break a leg to lose the championship, and even then he’d probably still win.

But Button is once again proving he’s the class act at McLaren, as Hamilton drove a bit like a man worried his petulant reputation would soon be his undoing unless he drove like a man in F1 instead of a boy in a kart.

But the caution in Hamilton’s performance was uncharacteristic and handicapped him as he fought a duel with Schumacher. He was obviously under orders – self or team imposed – to drive in a more considered way, but he lost his edge in the process. Shame, but he’ll get the balance right at some point. And then he’ll be really dangerous.

Monza ends F1’s Europe outing for 2011, with the Circus heading east to Singapore for the next Grand Prix.