Monza is synonymous with speed. It is the fastest circuit on the Formula One calendar and that is one thing that Williams has been excellent at so far this season – being quick in a straight line. With one driver who always seems to deliver a result here and another who is in incredible form, this points towards Williams delivering a massive haul of points here, although I am sure that Mercedes won’t make it so easy. Mercedes still seems a bit shaken after the events of the Belgian Grand Prix, and if their two drivers continue to bash into each other, both Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa must be there to capitalise, especially the latter, who is desperate for a result.
Williams Italian Grand Prix Preview:
No. 19 Felipe Massa (BRA) – 9th
Form: 4/R/R/5/13
2013 (Driving for Ferrari): Grid: P4, Race: P4
Massa always seems to deliver a strong result at Monza. In most cases, he has only been a couple of places behind Fernando Alonso, his ex-team mate. Despite this, he has just one podium finish here, in 2010. He is relatively popular in Italy still, having left Ferrari on pretty good terms, and I am sure that if the Tifosi can’t have their red cars deliver a podium, I am certain that they wouldn’t be too disappointed to see one of their former heroes stand on the rostrum.
No. 77 Valtteri Bottas (FIN) – 5th
Form: 3/2/2/8/3
2013: Grid: P18, Race: P15
No driver on the grid has had more podium finishes in the last five races than Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton has had the same number, but no driver has had more. Bottas’ consistent silverware-delivering performances are beginning to get noted by teams like McLaren, but it looks like Bottas is staying put for the moment. He didn’t have an excellent race here last year, one of the few occasions that he was beaten by Pastor Maldonado in both qualifying and the race, but on Bottas’ form, it would be daft to rule him out of achieving his fifth podium here.
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