Charles Leclerc in Monza @RacePictures

'It was a very sad weekend for Ferrari fans", F1 insider claims

10:53, 15 Sep

Updated: 11:39, 15 Sep

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byTobia Elia

Dutch F1 pundit Robert Doornbos shared his thoughts over Ferrari’s performance in the Monza home race weekend.

Charles Leclerc in Monza paddock @RacePictures

''It was a very sad weekend for Ferrari fans. The whole season hasn't been great''

- Robert Doornbos

Analyzing Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s fourth and sixth-place finishes in Italy on The Pit Talk podcast, the former Red Bull driver said: ''There's a lot of pressure on Ferrari. And coming to their home event, they have basically two home races. They have Imola, but Monza is the real one, and they know it, so they have to deliver for the Tifosi.''

''It was a very sad weekend for Ferrari fans. The whole season hasn't been great, to be honest, but I think the Dutch Grand Prix was a definite low, with Lewis Hamilton making a driver error, the seven-time world champion going off on his own and destroying the car. I mean, that's not the Lewis we all like to see, and particularly not Ferrari.''

''Then there was also Charles Leclerc, who crashed out of the race, basically, not to his own mistake, but they just didn't have it.''

''He then added: ''I think coming in Monza, in the Temple of Speed, where they had to show their true pace. They had the set -up, the balance, the speed, and in qualifying it looked reasonably promising with a third place for Charles. Then come the race, they didn't really have the speed anymore.''

''In the opening laps it looks exciting and then they drop back. So fourth and sixth, it's better than crashing out with two cars, for sure. But it's still not where Ferrari wants to be.''

Vasseur believes Hamilton's pace was superior to Leclerc

Lewis Hamilton arrived at Monza aware that he would have to serve a five-place grid penalty for the infraction he committed in Zandvoort, where he failed to slow down under double yellow flags.

The Brit qualified fifth, choosing not to give a slipstream to his teammate in an attempt to help him start higher than fourth. In the race, however, the seven-time world champion produced a strong recovery from tenth, quickly overtaking several cars but ultimately stalling his progress behind George Russell.

Speaking to GPblog after the race, team principal Frederic Vasseur believed that Hamilton had more pace than Leclerc during the race.

See our latest F1 paddock update below!