• Valtteri Bottas second with
Lewis Hamilton third for Mercedes• Leclerc follows up win in
Belgium but
Sebastian Vettel strugglesCharles Leclerc won the Italian
Grand Prix for
Ferrari with a valiant drive. He had to see off a concerted attack by Lewis Hamilton who was third and the
British driver’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who took second. The two Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg were in fourth and fifth. Sebastian Vettel had a poor afternoon, however, when an unforced error and a penalty left him in 13th place. Max Verstappen, starting from 19th after an engine change, was eighth.
Leclerc took the win from pole but had anything but a serene run to the flag. He was pushed by Hamilton for the first two-thirds as the British driver put everything into trying to pass him. He could not quite make it, however, with the Ferrari having a distinct edge in pace. It was a deserved win although not without controversy as Leclerc very decisively got his elbows out in defence of his lead. The five times-champion and the young pretender put on a fine fight at the front.