Lewis Hamilton won the Italian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday with a dominant drive that sent the Briton clear at the top of the Formula One world championship for the first time in a year.
The triple champion, who started the race from a record 69th career pole position, led Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas to a runaway one-two finish in front of the massed ranks of red-shirted Ferrari fans.
Lewis Hamilton Of Mercedes said “Today the car was fantastic, really a dream to drive so a big thank you to all the fans who came out today, thanks to all and I look forward to coming back here next year.”
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who had led the standings since he won the Australian season-opener in March, finished third and 36.3 seconds behind the winner.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo took fourth place for Red Bull, with Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen fifth in the other Ferrari.
Hamilton is now three points clear of Germany’s Vettel with seven races remaining. The first driver to win two races in a row this season, with Monza following on from Belgium a week ago, Hamilton now leads Vettel 6-4 on victories in 2017.
Result:
1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1 hour 15 minutes 32.310 seconds
2. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Mercedes +00:04.471
3. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 00:36.317
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull – TAG Heuer 00:40.335
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 01:00.082
6. Esteban Ocon (France) Force India – Mercedes 01:11.528
7. Lance Stroll (Canada) Williams-Mercedes 01:14.156
8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 01:14.834
9. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India – Mercedes 01:15.276
10. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull – TAG Heuer 1 lap
11. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Haas – Ferrari 1 lap
12. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso – Renault 1 lap
13. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Renault 1 lap
14. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso – Renault 1 lap
15. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas – Ferrari 1 lap
16. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Sauber – Ferrari 2 laps
17r. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 3 laps
18r. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber – Ferrari 4 laps
r. Stoffel Vandoorne (Belgium) McLaren 20 laps
r. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 25 laps
(rank: r = retired, nc = not classified)
Standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 238 points
2. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 235
3. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Mercedes 197
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull 144
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull 68
7. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India 58
8. Esteban Ocon (France) Force India 55
9. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso 36
10. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Renault 34
11. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams 31
12. Lance Stroll (Canada) Williams 24
13. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas 24
14. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Haas 11
15. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 10
16. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Sauber 5
17. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso 4
18. Stoffel Vandoorne (Belgium) McLaren 1
19. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 0
20. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber 0
21. Antonio Giovinazzi (Italy) Sauber 0
Constructors:
1. Mercedes 435 points
2. Ferrari 373
3. Red Bull – TAG Heuer 212
4. Force India – Mercedes 113
5. Williams-Mercedes 55
6. Toro Rosso – Renault 40
7. Haas – Ferrari 35
8. Renault 34
9. McLaren 11
10. Sauber – Ferrari 5
Reuters