Max Verstappen Claims First Monza Win To Put One Hand On F1 Title

Max Verstappen cruised to a fifth straight victory as he won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday to inch closer toward his second consecutive Formula One title.

Championship leader Verstappen claimed his first win at Monza after fighting from seventh on the grid to finish Charles Leclerc on another difficult day for Ferrari.

The Dutchman now leads the driver standings by 116 points and could mathematically wrap up the title at the next race in Singapore.

The race ended with jeers from the crowd and Ferrari frustration as the drivers had to finish the final six laps with the safety car after Daniel Ricciardo lost his engine and ended up at the side of the track.

George Russell was third, ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lewis Hamilton, who had both fought through the field after starting at the back of the grid following penalties.  

Despite his gutsy performances, Hamilton is now mathematically unable to win the F1 title as he sits an unassailable 167 points behind Verstappen in the standings.

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez had also been hit by grid penalties and had started 13th but, despite an eventful race that also featured a brake fire, he managed to finish sixth and also pick up the extra point for fastest lap. 

Lando Norris was seventh, after a poor start from third, with Pierre Gasly just behind him. 

Williams reserve driver Nyck de Vries finished his first-ever F1 race in ninth. The 27-year-old was a late replacement for Alex Albon after the Thai driver was diagnosed with appendicitis.