Italian GP: Max Verstappen wins on podium debut at Monza, Leclerc finishes second

Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing won the Italian Grand Prix, on his debut on the podium at Monza while Charles Leclerc finished second after starting from the pole.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands in action at the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 11, 2022 in Monza, Italy. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Max Verstappen won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday to leave him in touching distance of his second straight Formula One title.

Championship leader Verstappen claimed his first ever win at Monza after fighting from seventh on the grid to beat Charles Leclerc over the line on another difficult day for Ferrari.

The Red Bull driver is 116 points ahead of Leclerc, who started on pole, in the drivers’ standings after winning a race whose final six laps were run with the safety car.

Charles Leclerc, who started from the pole position, finished second after problems with decision making for tyres mid-race.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, finished fifth in the race while Daniel Ricciardo, the winner of the race in 2021, had retire in the 47th lap.

(with inputs from AFP)