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In Case You Missed It - off track in Italy

05 Sep 2016

As ever, magical Monza provided a splendid setting for Sunday’s Formula 1 Gran Premio Heineken d'Italia 2016. However, there was also plenty going on behind the scenes over the race period. Here's our social media round-up of just a few of the highlights...

Seeing the sights

Red Bull stablemates Daniil Kvyat, Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz made the most of their trip to Italy, using a mode of transportation somewhat slower than what they are used to...


Many happy returns

Sauber's Marcus Ericsson turned 26 over the Monza weekend - it wouldn't be a Grand Prix without a cake in the pit lane.


On the ball

They may have lost 22-10 in the end, but that didn't stop the F1 All Stars (Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Jolyon Palmer and Sergio Perez) having plenty of fun against some true soccer legends in the Heineken Champions of the Grid 5-a-side match.


More happy returns

Sauber weren't the only team celebrating a driver birthday - at Toro Rosso it was Carlos Sainz's 22nd. And just in case you thought they'd made a mistake with the cake, 55 is the Spaniard's race number.


Ciao Felipe!

Williams' Felipe Massa chose Monza to announce that this season will be his last in Formula One. It means the Brazilian is set to bow out in November's 2016 finale in Abu Dhabi, on a nicely round 250 Grand Prix starts.


Fighting spirit

Ferrari had some winning support for their home race in the form of two Italian Olympic medallists. Unfortunately the Scuderia couldn't quite match Basile's winning form, but they did at least equal Chamizo's third-place performance.


Pedal power

Red Bull's Max Verstappen came under the spotlight in Spa for his aggressive driving - and his Monza track recce gave an early hint that he would not be changing his style in Italy.


Chance encounter

Verstappen namechecked him in his Monza media comments, but Massa went one better, bumping into the man himself - Sweden and Manchester United footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic - near his home in Monaco.


Football crazy

The footballing theme ran deep in Italy - perhaps not surprising given the nation's love of the sport. Sampdoria forward Fabio Quagliarella was to be found hanging out with 'local' team Toro Rosso. 


Fond farewells

These two 'elder statesmen' of F1 racing both announced over the Italy weekend that they will not be on the grid next season - though neither looks particularly unhappy about it.


Good sports

Their on-track rivalry done for the day, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel found time to celebrate their podium successes together.


The Wolff at the door

Race winner Rosberg was untroubled by traffic during Sunday's race - but it was an altogether different story when he got to the airport.