Motorsport Update (7th September )

This week’s Motorsport Update was all about F1 as the Italian GP arrived at Monza last weekend and what an absolute classic it was. Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri won his maiden F1 race and the first for the outfit since 2008. McLaren’s Carlos Sainz finished a fantastic second for his career highest finish whilst Racing Point’s Lance Stroll scored his first podium since the 2017 Azerbaijan GP after finishing third.

The race featured a safety car after Haas’s Kevin Magnussen packed up on the entry to the pit lane and Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi were both slapped with a 10 second stop/go penalty for entering the pit lane when it was closed after the Haas of Kevin Magnussen blocked the pit lane entry. Ferrari had another weekend to forget with Sebastian Vettel retiring with brake failure and Charles Leclerc spun off and crashed heavily into the tyre barrier at Parabollica which caused a red flag. Red Bull’s Max Vertsappen retired with engine issues whilst Valtteri Bottas finished 5th after suffering a dreadful getaway and the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton recovered to 7th after his penalty.

Here are the Top 5 drivers from the Italian GP:

• 1st: Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri)
• 2nd: Carlos Sainz (McLaren)
• 3rd: Lance Stroll (Racing Point)
• 4th: Lando Norris (McLaren)
• 5th: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

A special mention goes to Mclaren’s Lando Norris for a fantastic overtake at the Della Roggia Chicane on Lap 1 as the Mclaren driver went around the outside of the Silver Arrows of Valtteri Bottas. That overtake was brilliant.

The next stop for the F1 Calender is the Tuscan GP at Mugello this weekend on Sun 13th September 2020. I will be back next week on Daytime next Monday for a recap of that race and a preview to Rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the BTCC at Thruxton. Tune in every Monday to listen live to the Motorsport Update live only on Gateway 97.8.