How many of your pre-race predictions for the 2021 Italian Grand Prix were correct? Find out below!
1. WHERE WILL KUBICA QUALIFY?
YOUR PREDICTION: 16th, 17th or 18th
CORRECT ANSWER: 16th, 17th or 18th
With Kimi Raikkonen unable to race having tested positive for coronavirus, Robert Kubica once again took the Finn’s seat for the Italian Grand Prix weekend. On Friday evening, Kubica set the nineteenth fastest time – with only Nikita Mazepin lapping slower. Kubica finished Saturday’s Sprint Qualifying in eighteenth and moved up to seventeenth on the grid following Valtteri Bottas’ grid penalty.
2. HOW MANY CARS WILL RETIRE FROM THE SPRINT RACE?
YOUR PREDICTION: 2
CORRECT ANSWER: 1
Just like Sprint Qualifying at the British Grand Prix, the sprint event at the Italian Grand Prix also had a single Honda-powered retirement. While Sergio Perez retired from Silverstone’s sprint, Pierre Gasly crashed out on the opening lap of the Monza event.
3. WHO WILL LEAD AT THE END OF LAP 1?
YOUR PREDICTION: MAX VERSTAPPEN
CORRECT ANSWER: DANIEL RICCIARDO
McLaren were always expected to do well at the Italian Grand Prix – but not many would have predicted a 1-2 result for the team. Max Verstappen took pole position, with Daniel Ricciardo starting alongside him on the front row. Ricciardo made the better start and pulled ahead of Verstappen into Turn 1. The Australian never looked back from there and went on to take McLaren’s first victory since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.
4. WHERE WILL THE LEAD FERRARI FINISH?
YOUR PREDICTION: 4TH OR 5TH
CORRECT ANSWER: 4th OR 5TH
Ferrari’s home weekend got off to a bad start, with Charles Leclerc suffering from illness and Carlos Sainz crashing out in Saturday morning practice. Nevertheless, the duo were able to compete in Sprint Qualifying and finished sixth and seventh. That became fifth and sixth on the final grid and with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton colliding, the pair were able to make up a few positions. A well-timed Safety Car helped Leclerc move up to second place, and he ultimately finished fourth. Sainz came home sixth.
5. WHERE WILL THE FURTHEST BACK POINTS COME FROM?
YOUR PREDICTION: 13th, 14th or 15th
CORRECT ANSWER: 19th, 20th or pit lane
Valtteri Bottas finished on the podium after starting nineteenth on the grid. The Finn had looked speedy all weekend, setting the fastest time on Friday and winning Sprint Qualifying on Saturday. A grid penalty meant he started from the back – but he fought his way back onto the podium.
Let us know how you got on with this race’s predictions! There’ll be more predictions to be made ahead of the next Grand Prix. Follow Lights Out on twitter to take part: @LightsOutF1Blog!