Shop
Max Verstappen has rewritten the history books with a record-setting 10th consecutive win with victory at the Italian Grand Prix.The Dutchman was forced to work for it, battling with Carlos Sainz for the lead in the opening laps before finally passing the pole-sitting Ferrari.
From there, he was never headed as he cruised to victory, the first driver in the sport’s history to record 10 wins on the bounce.
Sergio Perez made it a Red Bull one-two after having a similarly enthralling battle with Sainz, the Spaniard holding on after a thrilling fight in the final laps.
The race was over before it began for Yuki Tsunoda, the Scuderia AlphaTauri driver reported an engine failure as he pulled the car off the track and climbed out on the run to the Parabolica.
Race control aborted the start, the field being sent around on a second formation lap as marshals worked to push Tsunoda’s car into a break of the fence, not far from where the Japanese driver had stopped.
They could not do so, forcing race control to abort the start as a recovery vehicle was sent to clear the car.
A third formation lap got underway 20 minutes after the first commenced, the field making its around for a race start.
Sainz jumped well from pole, sweeping to the inside to cover Verstappen, the Red Bull driver holding on to second place despite the efforts of Leclerc to carve up the inside.
That left him under pressure from Russell, the Mercedes driver unable to find a way through in the early exchanges.
Next was Sergio Perez, then Oscar Piastri, who’d importantly cleared Alex Albon on the opening lap.
However, the Williams was rapid and drew alongside Piastri on the run to the Roggia chicane on Lap 2, making the move stick despite being forced to go the long way around.
When DRS was enabled at the start of Lap 3, Verstappen was just 0.8s back from the race lead, with Leclerc just 0.9s to his rear.
In second, Verstappen reported that he could see Sainz ahead sliding already, suggesting he was well in control of the situation and had pace over the Ferrari ahead.
That was playing out on the timesheets too, Verstappen having set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 3, more than two-tenths faster than the race leader.
Rounding the Parabolica at the end of Lap 5, the Dutchman was menacing the rear of the Ferrari, the pair drawing alongside one another under braking for the opening chicane.
Sainz defended robustly, delaying the pair as Leclerc closed in.
The Spaniard had left a car’s width before taking the racing line through the left-hander in the opening complex to shut the door on the Red Bull firmly.
Verstappen remained tucked up behind Sainz but could not get close enough to make a move despite being rarely split by more than half a second.
The Ferrari’s top speed was proving its party piece; Verstappen was faster but was unable to be close enough where it mattered.
Perez had a similar issue clearing Russell for fourth, the Mercedes driver having to defend more than Sainz ahead, but the Red Bull could not get by.
On Lap 14, the pair left the road at the first chicane, Perez emerging ahead but ceding the place back to his Brackley-based rival.
Verstappen forced a mistake from Sainz at the start of Lap 15, pinching a brake to compromise his exit.
The pair ran wheel to wheel into Variante Roggia, Verstappen on the inside to take the lead.
Released, the championship leader quickly sprinted clear.
It proved a good period for Red Bull as Perez cleared Mercedes at the start of Lap 16, getting the inside line at the opening chicane to take fourth.
The Mexican had a strong pace and began reeling in the two Ferraris ahead as they fell away from Verstappen.
By the time the race leader started Lap 19, he’d extended a 3.8s advantage as he lapped more than a second faster than those behind.
While Albon had been into the lane earlier, Sainz was the first of the leaders to pit when he called in on Lap 19.
That prompted an immediate reaction from Red Bull as they looked to cover off the threat posed by the undercut.
Verstappen boxed, as did Leclerc, leaving Perez to lead the race as he remained on track.
Leclerc rejoined just behind Sainz and quickly attacked his team-mate, seemingly resigning themselves to the notion that the race win was beyond them.
Perez pitted next time around, feeding back out behind Leclerc but importantly clear of Russell.
That left Piastri in the lead, the Australian chalking up his first laps in the lead of a Formula 1 grand prix.
He finally stopped at the end of Lap 23, rejoining alongside team-mate Norris – the McLaren duo touching as they negotiated the first chicane.
Hamilton held the lead for a time, courtesy of starting on the hard tyres and running longer than anyone else, though quickly lost out to Verstappen, the two Ferraris that followed, and Perez, all of whom were effectively in a different race.
Once the Mercedes driver did stop, the washed order left Verstappen leading by 5.4s over Sainz, then came Leclerc in DRS range of his team-mate and Perez, who was a similar distance back from Leclerc.
Russell was fifth, with a five-second penalty looming over him after running off the track and gaining an advantage following his first stop, then Albon, Norris, Piastri, Fernando Alonso, and Hamilton in 11th.
Perez attacked Leclerc as they started Lap 31, the Red Bull driver pulling alongside under braking for the opening chicane but unable to find a way through.
He tried again into the Roggia chicane but couldn’t make it stick there, either – kicking up the dirt as he did.
The Ferrari’s defence lasted only half a lap more as, without DRS, he was easy prey for the Red Bull, who cruised by on the front straight.
Further back, Albon had Norris and Piastri for company, the McLaren duo stuck behind the Williams.
Hamilton joined the trio soon after to make it a four-way scrap for sixth place.
The seven-time champion quickly attacked Piastri, the pair making contact at the Vairante Roggia, the McLaren picking up a damaged front wing.
It forced the Australian into the lane, robbing him of any chance of points.
He’d been an innocent victim as Hamilton crowded Piastri under braking for the second chicane, leaving him no space as they made contact – officials penalising Hamilton five seconds for the clash.
However, it was no consolation for Piastri, who’d dropped to 14th after boxing for a new wing.
Up the road, Perez was monstering the rear of Leclerc’s Ferrari but could find no way through.
There were two battle packs on track; the Sainz-Perez-Leclerc pack for second and, behind them, Albon-Norris-Hamilton.
On Lap 46, Perez finally got the move done, drawing alongside on the front straight to be clear of the Ferrari by the time they braked for the first chicane.
It was a similar story a lap earlier for Hamilton, who went around the outside of Norris under braking to claim seventh.
A battle between the two Ferraris developed, Leclerc getting ahead into the first chicane but locking up, allowing Sainz to battle back.
That saw the tussle continue into the second chicane, where both ran off the track, Sainz reclaiming third.
Meanwhile, Hamilton cleared Albon to take sixth and quickly jumped out as he worked to cover off the time penalty that would be applied post-race.
The battle between the two Ferraris continued, the pit wall instructing them that they were free to race but to take no risk.
It was a message not heeded by Leclerc, who locked up heavily into the first chicane as they started the final lap.
Sainz was, therefore, able to hold on to third, Verstappen winning with ease, followed by Perez for a Red Bull one-two.
Fifth went to Russell, then Hamilton, Albon, Norris, Alonso, and Valtteri Bottas to round out the top 10, Piastri finishing just out of the points in 11th.
