Italian Grand Prix Preview / FVL F1 Podium Winners Competition

Lewis Hamilton on pole at Monza. Photo courtesy of Mercedes AMG Petronas

Monza. It’s the longest-established Formula 1 venue, and it’s fast. Almost 70% of the lap here in Italy is driven at full throttle, and you’re probably going to do one tyre change.

So you just have to drive. Fast.

As with every Grand Prix this year, you can enter our FVL F1 Podium Winners Competition to win £50 of vouchers if you correctly guess the podium. Click here to enter by adding your prediction below – full terms and conditions here.

Qualifying Results at the Italian Grand Prix

Unsurprisingly, the Mercedes engines’ superior power dominates the front of the grid, with the first six: Mercedes, Williams and McLaren. Alonso as ever performed well to gain 7th, with the Red Bulls a little behind, followed by a spirited Sergio Perez, who did well to qualify into Q3.

Hamilton had a good margin over Rosberg, mainly due to a spot of oversteer needing correction on Rosberg’s last qualifying lap, losing him time which couldn’t be recovered. The Williams cars appear off the Mercedes’ pace, bt they showed good performance in practice sessions over longer runs – and these cars are very slippy in a straight line. For me, the big difference will be how the cars treat their tyres.

It’s also good to see McLaren showing good pace after a disappointing season so far – but they now seem to be slightly behind Williams in terms of pace, but now edging ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari. Also nice to see Kimui Kobayashi getting ahead of his team-mate and both Marussias at the back of the field.

Of course, anything can happen in a race – and so there’s al to play for. Will the two Mercedes will keep from tripping each other up? Can Alonso throw one of his astonishing opening laps in? Will Bottas or Massa manage to get ahead of the Mercedes at the start, knowing they’re going to be a little more cautious than normal? Will there be a safety car around the 2-tyre-stop window?

And will someone win our Podium Competition?

Qualifying Results from Italian GP courtesy of Formula1.com

Enter our free FVL F1 Podium Winners Competition to win a £50 Voucher

As with every Formula 1 race this year, we are holding the FVL F1 Podium Winners Competition – just guess the correct 1-2-3 on the podium by entering your prediction at least an hour before the race starts, to win.

The prize for a correct entry is the winner’s choice of a £50 value of either an iTunes Gift Card, a Google Play Gift Card or an Amazon Gift Card. A winner will be drawn at random if more than one entrant correctly posts the winning 1-2-3. Full Competition Terms and Conditions are here but in essence, you have to be UK resident, and aged 18+. We won’t add you to any mailing lists, or share your details.

Add your 1-2-3 prediction in a comment below – at least an hour before the race starts, please! For example, you might enter –

1. Hamilton
2. Bottas
3. Alonso
   by Jane Flower, Ullapool

• Please use the hashtags #f1fvl and #myfvl if you share your entry socially, and do join FVL socially online. Good luck!