Binotto 'no comment' on Leclerc Incident, Italian media react to GP Sunday

We find out how the Italian media reacted to Max Verstappen 's second world championship win and the chaotic Suzuka GP Sunday.

Gazzetta dello Sport

The Gazzetta, as well as congratulating Max Verstappen on his second consecutive world title, also reports Mattia Binotto's frustration."First of all bravo and congratulations to Max Verstappen for the victory, he drove excellently throughout the season," said Binotto. "On the Fia decision I do not want to comment, this time they decided everything in a few seconds without hearing the drivers. It is ridiculous and unacceptable, we will speak about it in the appropriate forum". The team principal underlines the difference in the management of penalties between last week when it took almost three hours to penalise five seconds to Perez, and this weekend, when in a matter of minutes Leclerc was overtaken in the standings by the Mexican driver.

Another thing that did not please Binotto was the decision to start from a standstill:'The start took place in critical conditions without a Safety Car,' said the Ferrari team principal, ' then a crane was seen on the track, a whole series of events that show how the situation is not simple and absolutely must be improved. We will speak about it in the right places, these are unacceptable decisions, especially in the way they were taken, two infringements and two different ways of judging, with Perez who, poor guy, couldn't keep up with the Safety Car in Singapore. We have to take note of it and figure out how to improve this situation because this is not good".

Corriere dello Sport

Corriere dello Sport reports statements from Leclerc, condemned to hand the title to Verstappen because of the five-second penalty."Today was really a struggle and a pain with the tyres in the last laps. It had already happened in the last laps: we start well but then after a few laps we destroy the tyres. I give a big congratulations to Max for his second title. We will keep pushing until the end".

"Of course, it's frustrating - continued the Monegasque right at the end of the race - Today we had no rhythm, the pace was gone after four laps, but that's how it went. The objective is to finish the year well. Max's title was only a matter of time. We expected him to win the title. We have to use these last races to improve as a team and do better next year."

Corriere della Sera

The Corriere della Sera offers a complete overview of the race through its report cards. It starts by awarding a 10 to Max Verstappen, describing his success as 'a matter of time', but at the same time praising him for having taken back the reins of a season that had started badly: "By now it was just a matter of time and sorting out the formal side of a championship that Super Max got his hands on too early, overturning a difficult start and taking advantage of the decline of Ferrari, which was no longer as strong as at the start. Max achieved his second World Championship and victory number 32 of his career. That's the same balance as 41-year-old Fernando Alonso, but Verstappen is 25 years old. The evolution of the species'.

A-plus for the Red Bull RB18.'It started out as a problematic single-seater, but the Milton Keynes brain trust managed to transform it in a short space of time, a sign that Adrian Newey's latest creation also had some stuff'. The newspaper calls the tyre management at Suzuka 'a gem'.

Only 5 to Ferrari:'The F1-75 is not only not worth (at least these days) the Rb 18, it can no longer find a wing stroke. More than words, the numbers speak: still half a minute cashed in by Verstappen, the time clock seems to go back to the gaps inflicted by the Mercedes. The opponent changes, but the Ferrari is the same"