F1 2019 Italian Grand Prix Preview Odds & Preview

Ferrari finally broke through in Formula 1 in 2019, with Charles Leclerc standing on top of the podium for the first time in his F1 career. Leclerc blew away teammate Sebastian Vettel in qualifying, making the former team leader the support driver. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, the weekly favorite, made a poor decision as far as pit timing. What we saw, though, was a vulnerability in the W10 with respect to speed on the straights. The course in the Belgium Grand Prix had three major straights and Ferrari was able to take advantage. What can we expect in the 2019 Italian Grand Prix ? We have the F1 odds for each driver as well as thoughts about each of the top teams.

F1 2019 Italian Grand Prix Preview Odds & Preview

👀 Some pointers for the weekend…#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 #F1https://t.co/nzIyZSHlU4

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 4, 2019

Driver Odds to Win the 2019 Italian Grand Prix

• Charles Leclerc                                                                                              11/8
• Lewis Hamilton                                                                                               7/4
• Sebastian Vettel                                                                                              11/4
• Valtteri Bottas                                                                                                 10/1
• Max Verstappen                                                                                              25/1
• Alexander Albon                                                                                             66/1
• Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenberg,
• Lando Norris, Sergio Perez                                                                            1000/1
• Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly                                                                              1500/1
• Daniil Kvyat, Antonio Giovinazzi, Kevin Magnussen,
• Romain Grosjean                                                                                            2000/1
• George Russell, Robert Kubica                                                                      4000/1

Who’s Looking Like the Favorite to Win?

Ferrari looks solid all of a sudden — which is why Leclerc is the early favorite. He only made one error, in lap nine, when he did not brake enough for the chicane at Les Combes and had to go over the runoff to get back in. Leclerc has had bad luck stalking him much of the year and finally broke through for the win. The advantage of the SF90 engine on the straights played a major role, and it could play the same role on Sunday, as the course of Monza also emphasizes speed on straight sections. Ferrari will bring in spec 3 of its power unit, in the hopes of delivering the first team win at home in nine years.

What About Mercedes?

Mercedes could have gotten the win in Belgium on 45 laps, as the pit decision for Hamilton played a major role. Had he pitted a couple of laps earlier, he might have been able to make up the difference. The W10 simply did not have enough power on the straights, and Monza is known as the circuit for power in Formula 1. However, there is rain in the forecast for Sunday, which could mitigate the Ferrari advantage and allow the strategic advantage that Mercedes has on braking and cornering to become a major focus once again.

What About Red Bull?

Red Bull got a terrific effort out of Alexander Albon in his debut in place of Pierre Gasly, who returned to lower-tier Toro Rosso. Albon started in 17th place on the grid but did a masterful job of cutting through the field to contend, passing teammate Daniel Ricciardo on the outside and also taking the risk to pass Sergio Perez, going on the grass ahead of the Kemmel Straight at about 200 miles per hour. Max Verstappen suffered from a broken steering arm after making contact with Kimi Raikkonen. He will have the choice of adding a spec 4 Honda power unit for Monza, but if he does that he will have to start at the back of the grid. Even the upgrade will not help the Red Bull team on the course at Monza, but getting by the grid penalty now will save them from having to take it on a course where they will be more competitive.

Which Are the Lower Teams?

As far as the lower teams go, McLaren saw both of their top drivers fail to finish, as Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris had mechanical issues with their power units. Norris would have finished fifth, a season best, but his unit went out with a lap to go. The course at Monza requires a low-downforce setup, so the McLaren team could struggle again. Daniil Kvyat looked solid in Belgium, finishing in seventh place. Pierre Gasly picked up some points in Belgium in his first race returning to Toro Rosso, but he will have the grid penalty this week after adding the spec 4 Honda power unit.