STORY OF THE DAY: Leclerc Finishes Second Behind the Safety Car

Charles Leclerc finished second in the 2022 Italian Grand Prix at Monza in the number 16 Ferrari F1-75. Starting from pole, he led the opening phase before Max Verstappen’s race pace and strategy carried the Red Bull driver to victory. George Russell completed the podium in the sixteenth round of the World Championship.

Ferrari brought Leclerc in during an early virtual safety-car period, surrendering track position in exchange for a cheaper stop. He briefly regained the lead when Verstappen pitted, then stopped again and began pursuing on fresher tyres. Daniel Ricciardo’s late retirement brought out the safety car, but recovery operations continued until the finish and prevented a final racing restart.

The F1-75, named to mark 75 years since Ferrari’s first production car, was designed for Formula One’s new ground-effect regulations. Its distinctive sculpted sidepods, carbon-fibre chassis and Ferrari 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 hybrid power unit produced a car capable of victories and pole positions, though reliability and tyre management were recurring concerns.

Born in Monaco, Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy after a distinguished karting career and won GP3 and Formula 2 in consecutive years. He became a Ferrari Formula One driver in 2019 and won at Monza during that first season. His 2022 pole and second place again placed him at the centre of Ferrari’s home weekend.