McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo wins 2021 Italian Grand Prix and leads Lando Norris to 1-2 finish for the first time since Canada 2010. Valtteri Bottas comes home in P3 after starting from back of the grid.
“To lead literally from start to finish I don’t think any of us expected that… I’ve just been a sandbagging SOB for the rest of the year! To not only win but to get a 1-2 – it’s insane!”, said race winner Daniel Ricciardo during his post-race interview with David Coulthard.
Ricciardo was a deserving winner, however, having passed Verstappen for the lead at the race start from P2 on the grid, before Verstappen and Hamilton’s clash cleared the way for him to control the race to sweep home to an eighth career victory.
Lando Norris secured his best ever race finish with P2, having been told to hold station behind his team mate in the final moments of the Grand Prix.
Having started P19, Bottas claimed third, finishing fourth on the road behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, before Perez had a five-second penalty added to his time for passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc off the track.
Perez would eventually be classified fifth behind Leclerc, while Carlos Sainz took sixth on his first ever outing for Ferrari at Monza.
Lance Stroll was seventh for Aston Martin – but under investigation for a yellow flag infraction – with Alpine’s Fernando Alonso eighth, ahead of the Williams of George Russell in ninth as the second Alpine of Esteban Ocon completed the top 10.
Latifi’s impressive drive continues in his Williams as he finishes the race in P11 ahead of four-time World champion Sebastian Vettel in P12.
Alfa Romeo duo Giovinazzi and Robert Kubica comes home in P13 & P14 in their home race ahead of Mick Schumacher in P15.
Championship Battle ended with a inevitable crash
A dramatic crash between title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that took both drivers out of the race. Hamilton was exiting the pits on Lap 26 of 53 when he arrived alongside Verstappen, the pair going side by side through the Variante del Rettifilo, but making contact, with Verstappen flying through the air and coming to rest on top of the Mercedes. Both drivers were unhurt, but out of the race, with the stewards set to investigate after the Grand Prix.
[…] The Championship rivals had major incidents at iconic tracks Silverstone and Monza, with Verstappen walking away from a 150mph crash in the British Grand Prix, and Hamilton grateful for the halo device that saved his life in the race in Italy. […]
[…] 2021 Italain Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo enjoyed his most successful weekend since joining McLaren this season. […]