Grand Prix Rejects

1. Carlos Sainz Jr. An unexpected pole and a hard-earned podium, can't really ask more from the weekend.

2. Liam Lawson. More and more evidence he should be in the AT for the rest of the season.

1) Carlos Sainz: A gallant effort to keep Verstappen, Perez and Leclerc behind him in succession. A well-deserved podium, fought hard for.

2) Liam Lawson: Didn't embarrass himself in a car that has not been the class of the field; did all he needed to.

Surely it has to be Sainz. He fought every single lap for every inch of tarmac he could keep ahead on.

He really is turning the tide significantly at Ferrari isn't he

Hard one this.

Driver:

Sainz for his brilliant defence and for third place?

Verstappen (why not?) for 10 wins in a row?

Albon for keeping ahead of the Mclarens for so long?

I will go for Sainz.

Team

Red Bull (why not?) for 15 wins on the trot?

Ferrari for actually not messing up and for letting Sainz and Leclerc race?

I will go for Ferrari as it is so improbable.

Sainz - Had to fight tooth and nail for pretty much the entire race for his first podium of the season.
Also got the pole position in a pretty close fight.

Sainz

HM: the trophy design, now that was a cool trophy.

Bottas scoring a point was the most unexpected result of the weekend for me. Also nice performances by Lawson, Albon and Sainz. Additional honorable mention to Porsche Supercup for the most insane race of the Monza weekend.

1 Sainz. Kept Thanos sorry Max far longer than expected and got his first poduim all year.

2 Bottas. Mainly thanks to his former teammate but got a point which was unexpected.

1 Sainz: He looked genuinely on it all weekend and he gave us some great battles and a never say die attitude. The net result was a first Sunday podium of the season (To add to his Austria Sprint top 3)

2: Lawson: Please Mr Marko if you have any sense, give this guy the AlphaTauri seat not just for the rest of 2023 but for the full 2024 season

HM: Bottas: Yeah his old teammate basically punted Piastri off but still he picked up a valuable point for Alfa Romeo as they try to overhaul Haas for 8th

I'll go with Ferrari for actually giving Red Bull a run for their money for once.

Though Lawson and Bottas get HM's.

1. Carlos Sainz: I am surprised this is his 1st podium this year!
2. Liam Lawson: he has showed everything to prove he deserves a full-time seat in F1

Londoner wrote: ↑03 Sep 2023, 14:39 1. Carlos Sainz Jr. An unexpected pole and a hard-earned podium, can't really ask more from the weekend.

Just wondering though - would some of those moves have been considered differently if it wasn't an intra-team battle between the Ferrari's at Monza?

1. Sainz
2. Bottas