Race
Fastest Lap: Patrick Depailler 1:42.287
Drive of the race:James Hunt - stayed out longer than anybody else on the one-stop, and was still fighting for the lead until his tyres just gave way. Retirement frm 4th was not the end he wanted for the race.
Reject of the race:Hans Joachim Stuck - weaving in front of anybody is not racing. Let alone doing it in front of the car in second place as he attempts to lap you. As punishment for his conduct, Stuck ended the race in the barriers after contact with Scheckter's Ferrari. (21:45 in video)
It was again a battle between the Ferraris and McLarens around Monza. Scheckter had the disadvantage, falling to fourth at the start, but quickly worked his way back up to second behind Depailler. Sneva's race was run after just 10 laps, and Reutemann, who had been dropping back in 4th, used this as a cue to challenge the Ferraris. An early pit stop gave him the upper hand, and as the pitstops cycled through, Reutemann and the two Ferraris found themselves behind James Hunt, yet to stop. Hunt put up one hell of a fight, passing and re-passing Reutemann to maintain the lead, before his tyres were completely shot. He'd run in 4th for the rest of the Grand Prix, until with 10 laps to go the Alfa again cried enough.
And that's exactly the same fate that awaited Reutemann. His second stop before the Ferraris put the ball in his court, but it was not meant to be - engine failure ending the first race he was in genuine contention to win since Germany. With Reutemann out of the race, it was made clear to Depailler that the race was Scheckter's, and the pressure eased off. Maintaining a two second gap, with over 20 seconds back to Tambay in third, the race was Ferrari's - and oh, how the Tifosi loved every second. The pair brought the red cars home for Ferrari's third one-two of the season, and Scheckter's fourth win of the season.
Behind them, Lotus again was the best of the rest, with both Ensigns finishing the race for the first time since Argentina to net the team a crucial 3 points in their fight against Williams. Regazzoni was in a position to score, but was defeated by engine failure; Nurmester on the other hand battled against a poor strategy call. Ligier's race ended with little fanfare, Laffite retiring with transmission woes and Neve again lost in the midst of time itself.
Fittipaldi again are unlucky, retiremens may have been plenty, but enough faster cars finished to prevent von Gottorp and Fittipaldi from even threatening the top 6. Of course, Fittipaldi didn't go without his own embarassing moments - being passed by Lella Lombardi. Who spun again, of her own accord.
Also of his own accord, Maurizio Flammini took a trip through the Curva Grande gravel on lap one, the March destroying itself in the process. The Italian was extracted from the wreckage and taken to the nearest hospital for assessment. March all-but-confirmed their slide towards the rear of the grid, an anonymous performance only livened by Watson's engine failure, with Penske also humiliating themselves thanks to Stuck's classy manoevre.
Boro's promising grid position didn't convert into results, thanks to a first-lap clash causing a stop for repairs for Rebaque, Chris Amon was quiet but respectable in the sole Hesketh, and Shadow were once again ineffectual.
In terms of the championship,Scheckter's win puts him 11 points clear of Reutemann. Carlos has all the work to do with three races to go. In the Constructors, McLaren are again playing catch-up, as Ferrari have 36 point advantage.
Race Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUUpdIGPlOk
