F1 in Madrid: Like Monaco but twice as long and none of the glamour

The Formula 1 circus returned to its roots this past week, as the sport returned to Monza, the ancient track just outside Milan. Your correspondent was in attendance, having spent the previous week enjoying the Italian countryside and learning the hard way that calling the circuit "accessible by public transport" is an understatement.

The Tifosi, the ardent Italian supporters, were in full force, their red-clad fans eager to witness a historic win for their homeland. Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed almost immediately as reigning champion Charles Leclerc dropped out of the race during the opening laps.

However, the day brightened for the fans when Kimi Antonelli, the current Italian title contender, took to the track. He started the race from the back of the pack, 19th, after opting to use a new engine and other power unit components. Despite the challenging conditions, Antonelli's car was in top form, and he took advantage of Monza's long straights and slow corners to make several overtaking moves. Miraculously, he climbed his way up to 12th place by the time Leclerc's crash at Parabolica brought the race to a halt.

From that second starting line, Antonelli made the most of his fresh medium tires and the need to pit only once, overtaking his teammate George Russell, who had started the race on a theoretically faster one-stop strategy. An unfortunate mistake from Antonelli, where he veered into a gravel trap in an attempt to pass Russell, did not dent his momentum, and he went on to become the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix in 60 years. It was a fairy tale ending, indeed.