It’s time for some heart-pumping F1 action this weekend as the Italian Grand Prix promises to be another exciting affair in the world of motorsports.
Lewis Hamilton is fresh off of another first-place finish at Spa and will look to continue his 2015 tear in Monza, but not if the other hungry competitors want to play spoiler to Hamilton’s bid at supremacy. Read on as we take a closer look at some of the best drivers in the F1 circuit and how they will fare in this coming weekend’s race.
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[sc:MultiSportArticles ]2015 Italian Grand Prix Preview
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Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
After his season-worst finish of sixth place at Hungaroring in July, Lewis Hamilton got his unparalleled 2015 right back on the winning track at Spa two Sundays ago by taking the checkered flag at the Belgian Grand Prix. His win at Spa, which also marks his sixth first-place finish in 11 races for the season, moves him 28 points clear of Silver Arrow teammate Nico Rosberg in the drivers’ standings.
At this point, it’s all a matter of Hamilton playing the string out for his third-consecutive Formula One World Champion title. Would you still doubt his dominance this season after registering podium finishes and pole positions in 10 of 11 races for the year?
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
It’s got to be tiring for Nico Rosberg being the second-fiddle to Hamilton race in and race out. He’s very much capable of defeating his fellow Mercedes teammate, having earned three first-place finishes this season (two of them – at Catalunya and Spielberg – with Hamilton right behind him in the standings).
[sc:Other240banner ]The only thing that’s likely stopping Rosberg from reaching his peak form are the powers that be in Mercedes themselves. Just this May, the team just invested a hefty sum for Hamilton to be part of Mercedes AMG Petronas for the next three years.
Should Rosberg defy his higher-ups with a win at Monza and with Hamilton finishing second, he’ll be just 21 points behind the top of the standings – enough leeway for him to make a late push at the 2015 F1 crown and possibly give his team a whole lot more to think about next season.
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Ferrari’s beacon of hope, Sebastian Vettel, has all the makings of pulling an upset in Italy this weekend. In fact, he’s the only active driver this season to have won three times at Monza.
Even more so, Vettel will be aching to bounce back from a discouraging 12th-place finish at Spa this past August, right after finishing on top at Hungaroring. And apart from his poor showing last month in Belgium, the 28-year old German has been competitive in all other races (seven trips to the podium in his ten top-5 finishes for the year).
Sleepers
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2015 has not been too kind to Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari teammate and former F1 poster boy Kimi Raikonnen. The 35-year-old had retired from three of this season’s races, and has not had a better performance since his second-place finish in Bahrain this April.
However, Raikonnen is still fourth in the drivers’ standings with 82 points, and his propensity to relive his mid-to-late 2000s form is always a threat for the rest of the field. An Italian Grand Prix title has also eluded the Finn for 13 years running now, so you know he’ll be out for blood this weekend in an attempt to draw a second wind into his waning career.
Felipe Massa (Williams)
Tied in fourth place with Raikonnen in the drivers’ standings is Felipe Massa, who is fresh off of a mediocre sixth-place finish at Spa.
Although Massa has not been anywhere near Hamilton’s or even Rosberg’s level this season, he has had his share of success at Monza. The Sao Paulo native finished in the top five of the Italian Grand Prix in four of his last five trips, including a third-place finish just last year (behind none other than Hamilton and Rosberg). If you’re looking for a solid dark horse pick, look no further than this Brazilian speedster, who’s starved for his first win since his last credible season back in 2008.
Long Shot – Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull)
Only in his second year in Formula One, Daniil Kvyat is slowly making his way up the ranks of F1’s finest racers. The 21-year-old just recently took his first big leap in the professional circuit with his first podium finish by taking home the silver at Hungaroring this July.
However, the young Russian is still a novice compared to the rest of the field, especially with how the rest of his 2015 season has panned out so far. Kvyat only has three top-5 finishes for the year for Red Bull-Renault, including a couple of early races that he had to retire from.
2015 Formula One Drivers’ Standings
| Rank | Driver | Country | Constructor | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Great Britain | Mercedes | 227 |
| 2 | Nico Rosberg | Germany | Mercedes | 199 |
| 3 | Sebastian Vettel | Germany | Ferrari | 160 |
| 4 | Kimi Raikonnen | Finland | Ferrari | 82 |
| 5 | Felipe Massa | Brazil | Williams | 82 |
| 6 | Valtteri Bottas | Finland | Williams | 79 |
| 7 | Daniil Kvyat | Russia | Red Bull | 57 |
| 8 | Daniel Ricciardo | Australia | Red Bull | 51 |
| 9 | Romain Grosjean | France | Lotus | 38 |
| 10 | Max Verstappen | Netherlands | Toro Rosso | 26 |
| 11 | Sergio Perez | Mexico | Force India | 25 |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Germany | Force India | 24 |
| 13 | Felipe Nasr | Brazil | Sauber | 16 |
| 14 | Pastor Maldonado | Venezuela | Lotus | 12 |
| 15 | Fernando Alonso | Spain | McLaren | 11 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | Spain | Toro Rosso | 9 |
| 17 | Marcus Ericsson | Sweden | Sauber | 7 |
| 18 | Jenson Button | Great Britain | McLaren | 6 |
| 19 | Roberto Merhi | Spain | Marussia | 0 |
| 20 | Will Stevens | Great Britain | Marussia | 0 |
2015 Constructor Standings
| Rank | Constructor | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 426 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 242 |
| 3 | Williams | 161 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 108 |
| 5 | Lotus | 50 |
| 6 | Force India | 49 |
| 7 | Toro Rosso | 35 |
| 8 | Sauber | 23 |
| 9 | McLaren | 17 |
| 10 | Marussia | 0 |
Upcoming Races
| Race Number | Date | Race |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | September 20 | Singapore Grand Prix |
| 14 | September 27 | Japanese Grand Prix |
| 15 | October 11 | Russian Grand Prix |
| 16 | October 25 | United States Grand Prix |
| 17 | November 1 | Mexican Grand Prix |
| 18 | November 15 | Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 19 | November 29 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
Writer’s Prediction
Rosberg will be popping the champagne at Monza when all is said and done, ultimately making the race between him and Hamilton for the F1 championship that much more compelling.
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