Formula one/athletics
CHARLES LECLERC survived an onslaught from Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to win a thrilling Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton hustled Leclerc during a remarkable spell of wheel-to-wheel action at Monza - but the young Monegasque excelled to keep the world champion at bay and register his second win in as many weeks and Ferrari’s first on home soil in nine years.
With 11 laps remaining, Hamilton then made a mistake at the first corner in his pursuit of Leclerc, falling off the road and allowing Bottas to take second.
On fresher tyres, Bottas took over from Hamilton in his pursuit of Leclerc but crossed the line just eighttenths shy of the Ferrari star.
In contrast to Leclerc’s heroics at the Cathedral of Speed, Sebastian Vettel endured yet another torrid afternoon in the sister Ferrari.
The four-time world champion took the chequered flag a dismal 13th and one lap down after a spin at the Ascari chicane on lap six.
Vettel had to stop for a new front wing after he clumsily collided with Lance Stroll in his attempt to rejoin the track following his mistake. He was hit with a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for his part in the incident.
“He just came back on the circuit like an idiot,” said Racing Point driver Stroll.
Hamilton’s late error allowed Bottas to reduce the championship deficit to 63 points with seven rounds left.
“What a race,” said Leclerc. “I have never been so tired. I made a few mistakes, but in the end I finished first so I am very happy.”
“Charles did a great job,” said Hamilton. “He came under a lot of pressure from Valtteri and I.
“I did the best I could, but following so closely for so many laps, the tyres just went off the cliff. It was not our day.”
Leclerc’s credentials were tested to the absolute limit as Hamilton hunted the 21-year-old around the high-speed Monza track.
Leclerc was shown a black-andwhite flag, Formula One’s version of a yellow card, after Hamilton claimed he was pushed off the road by the Ferrari driver.
On lap 23, Hamilton launched an attack on Leclerc at the second