Italy – Race: the day of glory has arrived, VICTORY FOR PIERRE GASLY

This Sunday, September 6, 2020, will remain memorable for all French motorsport fans, who have been deprived of a Formula 1 victory since Olivier Panis’s win in Monaco in May 1996.

24 years, 3 months and 18 days later, here is finally a new French winner in Formula 1: Pierre Gasly wins the Italian Grand Prix!

Let’s not beat around the bush: it was an utterly crazy race that we witnessed this Sunday afternoon in Monza. An Italian Grand Prix with an unrestrained storyline, ending in a suspenseful victory for the AlphaTauri driver marked with the number 10.

Pierre Gasly held off Carlos Sainz, who was back on his gearbox in the final laps of the race. But the Norman stood firm: a historic victory for the French driver!!!!!

Two of F1’s young stars, charging to the chequered flag in pursuit of that first win ????????

What a grandstand finish these two put on!#ItalianGP ???????? #F1 pic.twitter.com/UZB4F34h09

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2020

Two parts and a turning point: the stop-and-go penalty imposed on Lewis Hamilton

This race ultimately breaks down into two phases: two starts and two segments, divided by a red flag after 30 minutes of racing. A suspension following a major crash by Charles Leclerc into the tire wall at the exit of the Parabolica, at the end of the 25th lap.

The winner’s Ferrari from 2019 at Monza crashed into the tire wall with incredible force: the Monegasque fortunately emerged unscathed from this accident!

???? RED FLAG ????

The race is suspended after Leclerc’s accident at the final corner

Cars will line up in the pit lane in race order#ItalianGP ???????? #F1 pic.twitter.com/uS5RLkQA44

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2020

Trackside, the standings were completely changed during the red flag.

Alone on the first laps, poleman Lewis Hamilton was penalized with a stop-and-go for changing his tires… when the pit lane was closed!

Everything actually happened on the 20th lap: the Mercedes driver came in to switch to medium tires while the pit lane was closed due to the intervention of the marshals. All of this was to clear Kévin Magnussen’s Haas, which had retired a little earlier just a few meters from the pit lane entrance!

The other drivers waited for the pit lane to open. Everyone came into the pits to make their first stop. Almost everyone, that is: Pierre Gasly had the foresight to stop just before the Safety Car intervention on lap 18! At the interruption, the French driver was in 3rd place, behind Hamilton… and Lance Stroll.

TOP TEN (LAP 29/53)

Gasly
Räikkönen
GIovinazzi
Sainz
Stroll
Norris
Bottas
Ricciardo
Ocon
Kvyat#ItalianGP ???????? #F1 pic.twitter.com/E92p5tq377

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2020

Pierre Gasly resisted an ultimate attack from Carlos Sainz before triumphing.

On the second standing start, on the 28th lap, the Frenchman immediately took second place from Stroll… and first place from Hamilton during his stop-and-go on the 29th lap!

While Hamilton was attempting his comeback from the last position on the track, Carlos Sainz took 2nd place from Räikkönen on the 34th lap of the race. Slower, the Finnish Alfa Romeo driver let all his rivals pass, including Stroll, then Norris, Bottas, and Ricciardo.

In the lead of the race, Pierre Gasly fought from a distance to stay ahead of Carlos Sainz. Heroically, the native of Rouen controlled the gap. It was a close call for the Spaniard to overtake the Frenchman. From a gap of 5 to 3 seconds… down to less than a second as they entered the final lap.

But yes, you are not dreaming: by moving as far as possible to pull Sainz out of his slipstream, Gasly held firm, clinching the victory under the checkered flag.

Let’s be clear: we lack the words to describe the immense joy of seeing a Frenchman win a Grand Prix again.

On September 6, 2020, Pierre Gasly secured the 80th Grand Prix victory for a French driver at Monza. There was Alain Prost. There was Jean Alesi.

But also Olivier Panis, René Arnoux, Patrick Tambay, Didier Pironi, Jacques Laffitte, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Patrick Depailler, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, François Cevert, Maurice Trintignant. All French, winners at the finish of a Formula 1 race.

There is now Pierre Gasly. Enter the legend here, Sir!

And you, what state of mind are you in?

The final standings of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix!