Ferrari’s Leclerc wins Italian GP
MONZA, ITALY Charles Leclerc triggered a red wave of Ferrari celebration on Sunday by holding off a race-long Mercedes challenge to take the Italian Formula One team’s first home grand prix victory since 2010.
Valtteri Bottas was second for Mercedes with five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton a distant third after tire wear took its toll in a thrilling battle with Leclerc.
Montreal’s Lance Stroll finished 12th.
“What a race! I have never been so tired,” gasped Leclerc, 21, as a sea of fans, starved of success at Monza since Fernando Alonso won in the red overalls, swept onto the pit straight to party below the overhanging podium with flags and flares.
“Winning here is just a dream,” continued the Monegasque, switching to fluent Italian to address a crowd cheering a fitting win on the 90th anniversary of both Monza and Formula One’s most glamorous team.
“Last weekend (in Belgium) was my first victory, but the emotion of winning here is 10 times that,” said Leclerc, in only his 14th race for Ferrari. “Thanks to everybody. I have no words.”
Hamilton’s lead over his closest rival Bottas was cut to 62 points from 65, with the Briton limiting the damage by making a late pit stop for fresh tires to set the fastest lap and gain an extra point.
Leclerc’s German teammate Sebastian Vettel had an afternoon to forget, his race going from bad to worse at the one circuit where every Ferrari driver wants to impress.