Max Verstappen wins Italian GP and Lewis Hamilton makes up incredible ground but race finishes behind safety car
FERRARI’S fans booed and gave the thumbs down as Max Verstappen crossed the line to win the Italian GP – albeit in controversial circumstances.
The Red Bull man has now won the last five races in a row to open up a whopping 116 point lead in the championship.
It means the Dutchman can possibly retain his title at the next GP in Singapore – with five races still to go.
But this, his 31st victory of career that equals Nigel Mansell’s record, was blasted by the Ferrari fans who felt that their man Charles Leclerc was robbed of a chance to fight for the win.
The flashpoint happened six laps from the end when Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren broke down on track.
A slow reaction from the FIA race steward saw him eventually deploy the safety car while Ricciardo’s car was recovered.
Read More In F1
More worryingly, the crane being used to remove it from the track was reversing into oncoming traffic – something that surely should have warranted a red flag and the stoppage of the race.
It never came and the final laps were played out behind the safety car as Leclerc was unable to make any attempt to pass Verstappen.
In fairness, he would not have caught Verstappen anyway.
The damage had already been done as Ferrari had called him in early for a pitstop.
Most read in Motorsport
It proved to be the latest clanger in a long line of cock-ups by the Italian team.
Leclerc, who started on pole, admitted the damage to his race was done by the early stop which meant he had to make a second pitstop.
By contrast, Vertsappen’s Red Bull team executed their strategy to perfection.
He had qualified in second place but actually started the Italian GP down in seventh place on the grid due to engine penalties.
It was a deficit he managed to wipe out by the fifth lap having overtaken three cars on the first lap alone.
His drive was faultless while Red Bull’s strategy calls were bang on point while Ferrari were again the masters of their own downfall.
George Russell was third as he again proved to be best of the rest while Carlos Sainz was fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth, despite starting 19th.
Meanwhile, Nyck de Vries was the driver of the day in his Williams.
The Dutchman was an 11th hour stand in for Alex Albon and finished ninth.
He is already ahead of Williams’ other driver, Nicholas Latifi on points after only one race.