Leclerc emotional after 'special' Italian GP victory

Charles Leclerc was emotional after an "incredible" victory in the Italian Grand Prix, triggering a spine-tingling roar from the Tifosi. 

The Tifosi flooded the start/finish straight after Leclerc stunned McLaren in Monza, with Ferrari having opted for a bold one-stop strategy which caught the race favourites by surprise. 

Leclerc started in fourth but was second at the end of the first lap after passing George Russell and Lando Norris; however, the latter completed a successful undercut later in the race. 

Early signs in the race pointed towards a two-stop strategy, which McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull all opted for, but not Ferrari. 

Ferrari left Leclerc and Carlos Sainz out on degrading hard tyres whilst most others pitted for fresh rubber late in the race, with Leclerc having inherited a big enough lead over Oscar Piastri to nurse his tyres to the end. 

Leclerc has now won his home race (the Monaco Grand Prix) and Ferrari's home GP in the same season, a feeling he wants every year.

“It’s an incredible feeling," Leclerc said. "Actually, I thought that the first time would just feel like this, and then the second time, if there was a second time, wouldn’t feel as special.

“But my God, the emotions in the last few laps were exactly the same, like in 2019. Just watching the grandstand instead of the track, which is tricky, but [it’s] incredible. I mean, Monaco and Monza are the two races that I want to win every year.

“Obviously, I want to win as many races as possible in the world championship as soon as possible, but these are the two most important races of the season, and I managed to win them this year.

“So it’s so special.” 

Baku potential

Ferrari introduced a significant upgrades package for the Italian GP to get the team's trajectory pointing back in the right direction. 

Leclerc's win suggests the upgrades worked, although the Monegasque revealed that he expected Ferrari to be quick in Monza regardless. 

He doubts Ferrari can maintain its Monza pace across the remaining eight races, but is optimistic about the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

"I don't know, because I think our package was working pretty well on a track like Monza," explained Leclerc. 

"Whether it will be the same for the rest of the season, I doubt [it]. I still think McLaren are the favourites, but we have done a step forward, that's for sure. 

"Baku is a pretty nice track for me. I quite like that track, and I've been quite convincing there in the past. So who knows, maybe we can achieve some thing special again there."