MONZA lived up to its legendary fame once more, hosting the most exciting Formula One race of the season so far, with Lewis Hamilton taking his Mercedes to a solid win after a long battle with pole sitter Kimi RΓ€ikkΓΆnen in the Ferrari.
Hamiltonβs win was a surprise after being dusted off by the red cars in last weekβs Belgian Grand Prix, but he took control on lap 45 of the 53-lap race as RΓ€ikkΓΆnenβs tyres went beyond cooking temperature and finished 8.7 seconds in front.
The Finn, however, set the fastest lap ever recorded on the 5.8km circuit with its long history of fanatic and passionate tifosi.
Also known as the βtemple of speedβ RΓ€ikkΓΆnen scorched around the boomerang-shaped track near Milan in 1m 19.119s in the final qualifying session for an average speed of 263.587km/h.
The action started well before the race when Swedenβs Marcus Ericsson had a monumental crash after the DRS (drag reduction system) of his Alfa-Sauber jammed open as he approached the first chicane at well over 300km/h.
The loss of downforce threw the car into the barriers and it then barrel-rolled down the escape road.
However, Ericsson crawled out unscathed, Sauber rebuilt the wreck and he raced next day, finishing 15th.
Hamilton and arch rival Sebastien Vettel had a light collision on the opening lap that spun Vettelβs Ferrari around and the German rejoined in 17th place.
Red Bullβs Max Verstappen moved into third place and might have stayed there had his petulance not cost him a five-second penalty for bumping Mercedesβ Valtteri Bottas off the circuit as Bottas tried to overtake.
He crossed the line third but had to surrender the final podium position to the Merc driver and fourth place to the hard-charging Vettel.
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It was another bad day for Australiaβs Daniel Ricciardo, who had to start from the back of the grid because of a new engine penalty.
He had a great drive, steadily moving up through the 20-car field and was 9th by lap 25, when the new engine had some malfunction and he parked his smoking Red Bull trackside.
He had a great drive, steadily moving up through the 20-car field and was 9th by lap 25, when the new engine had some malfunction and he parked his smoking Red Bull trackside.
In sixth spot came Romain Grosjean after a top show in the Haas β but after a protest and a stewards enquiry, both Haas cars were excluded for a βgeometric infringementβ to their floors, so 6th and 7th went to the Racing Point Force Indias of Esteban Ocon and Sergio PΓ©rez.
Carlos Sainz was eighth for Renault and Williams turned its best performance in a while with both cars finishing in the points: Lance Stroll 9th and teammate Sergey Sirotkin 10th.
The spectacular podium ceremony generated loud boos from the Ferrari faithful, but Hamilton took it in good spirit.Β
βIt was a tough race, but a thoroughly enjoyable race,β the wide-smiling Brit said.
βThe season is shaping up to one of the best, because it really is that close between us.β
RΓ€ikkΓΆnenβs sterling drive to second spot was his 100th F1 podium.
Typical of his straight-faced style, the ice-cool Finn brushed off any thoughts of it being something special.
βThereβs not a lot of difference between 99 and 100,β he said.
βItβs just a number.βΒ
Next GP is in Singapore, on September 16.