ITALIAN Hamilton goes on top with win

Monza (Italy), Sept. 3: Lewis Hamilton took over as leader of the drivers’ world championship for the first time this year on Sunday when he claimed a lights-to-flag victory as Mercedes dominated the Italian Grand Prix.

The 32-year-old Briton, seeking his fourth world title, made a perfect start from his record 69th pole position to lead his Mercedes team-mate Finn Valtteri Bottas home for his sixth win this year, his third at Monza and the 59th of his career.

Hamilton now leads fourtime champion Sebastian Vettel by three points after the German finished third, 36 seconds adrift, in his Ferrari in front of a big home crowd on the weekend of the Italian team’s 70th anniversary celebrations.

Having won in Belgium last Sunday, Hamilton also became the first driver to score back-to-back victories this year. It was Mercedes’ third one-two this year and the team’s 39th overall.

Hamilton now has 238 points ahead of Vettel on 235 and Bottas on 197 while in the constructors’ championship Mercedes lead with 435 to Ferrari on 373.

“I am so happy and the team did a great job — Mercedes power is definitely better than Ferrari power,” said Hamilton, who was booed by a large partisan crowd.

Bottas also praised Mercedes’ teamwork. “The car was so strong —

Vettel added: “It was entertaining, quite good fun. We just didn’t have the pace of the leading two drivers, but going around seeing these people gives us a lot of hope. We have a strong car and will have a strong end to the season.”

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who started 16th after incurring grid penalties, came home fourth for Red Bull ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari.

Hamilton made a good start from his record 69th pole position and fended off Canadian teenage rookie Lance Stroll, who started second for Williams after nine drivers were handed grid penalties, to take control on the run to the first chicane.