Bottas the sprint king but Hamilton trails Verstappen
LEWIS HAMILTON lost further ground to championship rival Max Verstappen after he finished only fifth in yesterday’s sprint race at the Italian Grand Prix.
Valtteri Bottas delivered a fine win from pole at Monza, with Verstappen (below) taking the runner-up spot and two crucial points.
The Red Bull driver will also start on pole for today’s Grand Prix, with Bottas sent to the back of the grid after taking on his fourth engine of the campaign here, one more than the rules permit.
Mclaren’s Daniel Ricciardo claimed third ahead of his team-mate Lando Norris.
Not only did Hamilton fail to score, but he will now have his work cut out in the main event with a grid position of fourth – promoted one spot following Bottas’ penalty – and both Mclarens between him and Verstappen.
“It wasn’t great,” Hamilton said.
“I’ve got to try and figure out how I can get by and try to limit the damage.
“You saw the pace of the Red Bull, they are so fast. It should be an easy win (for Verstappen) and I have to try and get past the two guys (Ricciardo and Norris) ahead.”
Hamilton started on the front row but he staggered away from his marks and was gobbled up by Verstappen, Norris, Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly on the 430-metre dash to Variante del Rettifilo.
The Mercedes dropped to sixth before Gasly ran over his own front wing – damaged after bumping Ricciardo’s Mclaren – and slammed into the wall at the Curva Grande.
Gasly was unharmed but the safety car was deployed as his wrecked Alphatauri was removed from danger.
By lap four, the sprint was ready to restart and Bottas made no mistake in dropping Verstappen following a fine exit from the Parabolica.
As Bottas galloped into the distance, with Verstappen keeping the Finnish driver honest, Hamilton could make no impression on Norris.
Bottas, this week dropped by Mercedes, took the chequered flag 2.3 seconds clear of Verstappen.
Verstappen said: “We made a good start and got up to second, scored some points – and we start on pole.
“It will be an interesting battle.”