Verstappen wins Sunday’s Italian GP, making history with a record of 10 consecutive F1 race victories.
The 14th round of the 2023 Formula 1 world championship at Monza on Sunday started with poleman Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) leading from the start but on lap six Verstappen started to chase him. Lap 15 was the climax when Verstappen got ahead as Sainz got tangled up at Rettifilo.
As Sainz and Sergio Perez (Red Bull) locked horns, Verstappen made his way past them. The double world champion took the Win, also making it 15 winning races for the Red Bull.
The action unrolled as Perez got the second podium after some fierce competition from Sainz. With 5 laps to go Ferrari’s driver got the heart racing as Sainz and Charles Leclerc continued their cut-throat race to the finish line. Finally, Sainz emerged to take up the third podium.
While Leclerc grabbed spot 4, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes stood on the P5 and P6 positions. In a wheel-to-wheel race, Albon’s Mercedes took over Norris’s McLaren to take seventh.
Let’s drive through the 2023 F1 Italian GP
Polewinner Sainz was leading from turn 1 as Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri broke down on the warm-up lap. In the shortened race of 51 laps, Sergio held fifth from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Willams Alex Albon. On lap two Albon crossed Piastri for Sixth.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes raced on hard tyres as he landed in ninth behind Norris. On lap 6 Verstappen hounded for the lead around the outside of the Rettifilo Chicane.
At lap 15 Sainz locked up his inside wheel at Rettifilo, Verstappen took this opportunity as the former had a poor exit due to wheelspin. Both Sainz and Russell pitted on lap 20, switching their medium tyres for hards.
As Sainz raced against Leclerc and Perez, still 20 laps to go, Verstappen extended his lead to over 6s. With only 10 laps remaining Perez chased Sainz but Perez had to take to the Rettifilo escape road after 2 laps and again on lap 45.
Both the Ferraris battled against each other to the chequered flag, Leclerc almost hit the back of Sainz at Rettifilo. In the final showdown, Verstappen won by 6s from Perez. Both Ferraris were a tenth of a second apart, while Russell took the fifth.
The driver’s standings is headed by Verstappen by 145 points and the constructors are ruled by Red Bull by 310 as F1 moves into the final ‘flyaway’ sequence of 2023.
