MONZA: Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen made history, securing his 10th successive Formula 1 win of the ongoing season and going past legendary Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine successive wins in a season back in 2013.
This win also keeps alive the winning streak of Red Bull Racing this season as they are yet to lose a race. Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez took the second spot while Carlos Sainz of Ferrari secured the third position.
This triumph also extends Vestappen’s lead over Perez in the Driver’s Standings to 145 points.
The start was delayed owing to Yuki Tsunoda crawling to a halt on the formation lap, but the first lap of the race was pretty clean, with the top five drivers holding their positions.
Sainz led a DRS train from Verstappen and Leclerc to the front, but the Red Bull driver quickly saw the leader was having problems with his rear tyres.
Verstappen nearly passed on a few of occasions as he approached the opening curve. However, Verstappen had a good run through the Curve Grande (Turn 3) and claimed the lead before Turn 4. Sainz went too deep into the first chicane on Lap 15, putting him on the wrong line for the exit, so Verstappen got a nice run through the Curve Grande (Turn 3) and took the lead before Turn 4.
Outside of the pit stops, Verstappen held on to the lead for the rest of the Grand Prix, despite revealing a problem with his car in the closing stages.
Behind Verstappen, we witnessed the most intense race-long struggle of the season as Sainz attempted to hold off Leclerc and Perez.
Because of a slightly delayed pit stop, Sainz was just barely ahead of his Ferrari teammate as Leclerc emerged from the pits, with Perez trailing the duo.
After running in a DRS train for ten laps, Perez passed Leclerc on Lap 32, despite nearly crashing the lap before. Sainz also fought hard against Perez, alleging he was forced off the track when he cut the first chicane.
After keeping close enough off the last corner to take second place and complete a Red Bull one-two, he eased through on the approach to Turn 1.
However, the podium battle did not end there as Leclerc placed pressure on Sainz in the last laps. They switched positions with four laps remaining in the first sector, with Sainz winning, before Leclerc nearly collided with his teammate on the final lap as he locked up at the first chicane.
Hamilton was one of three drivers that began the Italian Grand Prix on hard tyres, while everyone else started on mediums. The seven-time world champion was leading as everyone else pitted, but he finished 10th after his pit stop on Lap 28.
Now on the mediums, he felt Mercedes had given him an excessively extended stint till the finish of the race. But he passed Alonso and then collided with Piastri at the second chicane.
Hamilton received a five-second time penalty as a result of the accident, as Piastri suffered front wing damage and was forced to pit.
Meanwhile, Hamilton maintained his charge through the field, passing Norris, Albon, and, crucially, the Williams driver by more than five seconds to claim sixth place on the week he signed a new contract extension with Mercedes until 2025.
Italian GP result
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
5) George Russell, Mercedes
6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
7) Alex Albon, Williams
8) Lando Norris, McLaren
9) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
10) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo. (ANI)