Italy   09-11 Sep 2011
Gran Premio Santander d'Italia
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy Event Description: Race Distance: 53 laps, 306.720 km

As one of the three circuits on the schedule that were also on the schedule back in 1950's first F1 championship, Monza is one of the quintessential F1 tracks. Built in 1922 it featured an incredible oval and a high-speed road course. Today the oval is unused, and the road course has been drastically slowed with chicanes for safety, but remains the fastest track on the Formula 1 schedule. Long straights result in special low-drag bodywork for the race, giving the cars the top speed needed for low lap times, but also means low grip in the corners that test the drivers' skill.

In 2010, Button used his f-duct brilliantly to hold off the faster Ferrari of Alonso up until the 1st pit stop where Alonso's crew put him into the lead. Alonso won, Button 2nd, and Massa took 3rd to put two Ferrari on the podium in Italy. Qualifying Summary: The fastest track on the schedule was expected to play to the weakness of the Red Bull chassis, but someone forgot to tell Vettel as he trounced the field by half a second taking his 10th pole of the season.

Hamilton and Button showed the single lap prowess of the McLaren qualifying 2nd and 3rd. Alonso nabs 4th on the grid, while Webber rounds out the top 5. Senna makes a surprise appearance in Q3, but opts to save his tires by not running a lap and starts 10th.

The top 10 at Monza:
VET HAM BUT ALO WEB MAS PET MSC ROS SEN Race Summary: To the delight of the Italian crowd, Alonso makes an amazing start from 4th, vaulting directly to the lead into the first chicane over Vettel and the two McLarens. Behind him, Liuzzi loses control in the grass, and creates a massive pile up as he reenters the track sideways across the crowded chicane. After the resulting Safety Car period, Vettel makes use of his shorter gears to overtake Alonso on the outside of Curva Grande by simply powering by. From then on, it was a clinic by Prof. Vettel who never lost the lead.

Further back in the field, an epic battle developed as Schumacher held off the faster McLaren of Hamilton until Schmacher's boss Brawn reminded him that blocking twice is still in fact against the rules. Eventually, led by Button, both McLarens got by the Mercedes.

Webber looks to be ending the season in a downward spiral, as his DNF means losing 2nd in the championship standings to Alonso who places 3rd in front of the Tifosi. Driver Classification for Round 13: Fantasy Results: Event Media: