Nothing less than an unforgettable triumph in historic Monza. In the Temple of Speed, Charles drove one of the best races of his career. Though he didn’t have the fastest car, he and his team took the gamble and snatched victory from McLaren.
Just as Gerhard Berger did at the same circuit in 1988, two weeks after the death of the legendary Enzo. Just as the great Michael Schumacher did in 1998. This victory came more from the will and passion of the Ferrari team—a passion that has connected them with their loyal fans for decades.
They didn’t disappoint the checkered flag. They immediately flooded the track and packed the Monza pit straight. A kilometer filled with Ferrari fans, all singing the Italian national anthem, sending chills down the spine of every true motorsport enthusiast.
“Everyone is a Ferrari fan. Even if they say they’re not, they’re Ferrari fans,” Seb Vettel said in 2016. This statement from the four-time world champion comes to mind as you watch thousands of ecstatic fans adoring Charles Leclerc—a driver who has emerged from the Scuderia’s very heart.
The Chosen One
“Il predestinato” is the nickname the Italians have given Leclerc. The “Chosen One.” The man destined to bring Ferrari back to glory. Only one driver in the past has had the privilege of being labeled this by the incomparable Michael Schumacher.
Schumacher had delivered 5 drivers’ titles to the Scuderia and dozens of wins, including five at the Temple of Speed, Monza. Just like back then, the pit straight was packed to capacity after the finish. Just like back then, the massive heart of Ferrari beat beneath the winner’s podium.
Leclerc’s gaze and expressions on the podium said it all. The passion of this crowd is why it’s worth driving for Ferrari. The history and memories carried by Scuderia’s 75 uninterrupted years in the F1 championship make it the most significant, the most unique team on the grid.
“I thought the feeling of my first win here would be unbeatable. But I was wrong,” said a moved Leclerc after the race. This year, Leclerc has won the two most significant races for him and Ferrari: Monaco and Monza. Now, there is only one real challenge for them: to bring the championships back to Maranello. And the tifosi will respond as they always do.
