Italian Grand Prix – Julien Fébreau's column

So many emotions experienced in a few hours in Monza. Between the pole position won Saturday late afternoon by Charles Leclerc and the podium of this Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, once again lifted by the red tide of fans, Monza will have offered me its share of thrills for the better and for the (almost) worst!

It all started on Saturday evening, whenturn of the “ Monza National Park » supporters of Ferrari celebrate their driver's pole.
The atmosphere is festive in town and at the hotel where the Scuderia drivers live, it's downright riotous. The carabinieri try to ensure a semblance of order and circulation, but the ever-increasing number of fans begin to climb the hotel gates to try to catch a glimpse of them.

Charles and Carlos have not yet returned from the circuit where they are debriefing and planning on the mission that awaits them the next day in the race.
However, a few minutes later, sitting at the hotel restaurant, I witness the madness that takes over the street, at the moment when the sirens of the police motorcyclists who are escorting Charles Leclerc's car sound far away.

A football stadium atmosphere is then triggered. Everyone is watching for the hero of the day and when he appears in the courtyard of the hotel, some do not hesitate to rush through the vegetation surrounding the establishment to hold out a photo or a cap for him. sign!

Charles lends himself to the exercise with a huge smile and attention to each and every one. All this in a joyous crowd and a dizzying din which still makes my hair stand on end as I write these lines. Fans, as disappointed as they may have been after Ferrari's missed or wasted opportunities this season, are ready at this moment to forgive everything. Tonight, they want to shout to Charles that they will always be there for him, as long as he is there for Ferrari!

This exchange of energy is striking and while I watch the scene on an overlooking terrace, I meet Sabine Kehm, the manager of Michael and Mick Schumacher. She also observed this incredible moment of fervor with moved eyes and said to me: “ Reminds me of Michael a few years ago ».

At that time, I thought, I probably would have been on the other side of the gate and shouted my love to my lifelong idol in the same way!
A few hours of sleep later, I show up at the circuit on Sunday morning at 7:45 a.m. so as not to miss the outcome of the championship F3 in which our two Frenchmen, Victor Martins and Isack Hadjar are still in the running.

It is also the opportunity to witness the opening of the circuit gates. Like the Japanese fans at Suzuka who slept all night at the gates of the track, I then see the most fervent of them running towards the most popular areas of the autodrome.
At this early hour, the paddock is still occupied only by a few shadow workers and at Ferrari, while waiting for the arrival of the company's top executives, the facades of the motor homes specially painted in yellow to celebrate 75 years of the Scuderia.
Time for a coffee and here I am in Pit Lane where the pressure is palpable among the cars of the last title contenders.

I know Victor Martins more personally, because our paths crossed well before he became world Kart champion. We have remained very close and I inevitably feel in this moment all the emotion that he is trying to contain, just like his big brother Nicolas, the most important person at Victor's side since his beginnings.

At the end of an incredible race, the 2022 title goes to him and I am as touched by his coronation, for which he gave so much, as by the immense disappointment of Isack Hadjar who conceded a few meters away .

Isack reminds me Sebastian Vettel who, in 2009, when his title chances were slim at the end of the season, suffered a heavy blow when mathematically the title had definitively escaped him. Isack believed in it too, until the last moment, even if on this Sunday morning, his chances were tiny. This is the attitude of a true champion and for me he is the great revelation of this season. His attitude and his talent will take him far. Our French made me shiver once again!

There was also talk of chills, when a few hours later, the grid F1 began to take shape. There are two places on the planet where, before going on air, I like to isolate myself for a few moments on the roof of our commentary booths. It's here in Monza, as well as Suzuka in Japan. Either way, the view always took my breath away. So I did not deviate from the rule this Sunday and I went to breathe the air of Monza, on the roof of this old building which overlooks the starting grid. The weather was nice, the public was also gradually building up pressure and the party looked particularly good.

The race was, until this abandonment of Ricciardo in the final laps of the race. Once again, I did not like seeing this crane on the track, even if the cars did not pass too quickly to its left. Too many painful images are always present in my mind. Didn't like that this race ended like this either, behind the only Aston Martin at the forefront this weekend. This Safety Car probably deserved to be replaced by a red flag. We would have had a mini Grand Prix of four or five laps. Fans would have been fired up once again at the idea that Charles could have one last chance against Max. And even if he hadn't exceeded it, we would all have vibrated. This is F1. And it's even more powerful at Monza.

This is also the reason why I am extending my stay there by a few days. It's my turn to take on the temple of speed this Wednesday, behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. It won't be red, but you can be sure that my heart will beat as hard as that of the supporters of the prancing Horse. I'll tell you all about it very soon.

In the meantime, take care of yourselves friends and see you at the first corner on Canal+ in three weeks in Singapore!

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