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Live text
Formula 1 Italian GP

F1 Italian GP Live Updates - race day

Live Standings

Stopped

Summary

  • Pierre Gasly takes maiden victory in madcap Italian GP
  • Gasly fends off Carlos Sainz after Hamilton serves 10s stop-go penalty for coming into the pits when it was closed to recover Magnussen's stranded Haas
  • Stroll completes unusual podium for Racing Point
  • Hamilton recovers from last to finish P7 after serving penalty
  • Hamilton had comfortable 13.5s lead prior to first safety car over Sainz, Norris, Perez, Ricciardo
  • Bottas unable to make progress after dropping behind both McLarens with poor opening lap
  • Verstappen fails to finish after Honda power unit problem
  • Vettel retires early after brake problem causes him to straight-line Turn 1 chicane and smash through the polystyrene marker boards

Live Text

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Afternoon folks - and yes, it's that time again! In just under 25 minutes the Italian GP at Monza will be underway.
If you've watched qualifying and the support races this weekend, Monza's been a real tow-fest. With a significant portion of the midfield very closely matched...this could be very interesting.
Autosport
Now, let's begin with some parish notices - it's been a busy day already:
- Renault to be rebranded as Alpine for 2021 F1 season
- Racing Point withdraws appeal over FIA's F1 brake duct ruling
- Ricciardo: It's fun that Mercedes "dished it back" after F1 party mode ban
- Renault CEO: Alpine rebrand not about reviving past glory
Information
The national anthem was performed by the balcony musicians, made famous by the viral video of them performing from their balconies during Italy's lockdown earlier in the year.
Just 10 minutes to go, then, before we're away at the Temple of Speed! The Italian airforce is already doing laps of the circuit in the air - but we think they might fail scrutineering.
So, what do we expect from the race? Mercedes teased that it had more performance in the race, so it's going to be a straight-up battle for third.
McLaren and Racing Point have the second row, you can't discount Red Bull, and both Renault and AlphaTauri have shown pace this weekend too. There's everything to play for, and 53 laps to play it in!
Sun
Weather chat: 20% risk of rain,, 27.7 C degrees air, 44.8 degrees C track.
Information
Will we see Barrichello's fastest race lap fall today? It's survived for 16 years so far - but it may prove vulnerable.
Information
The top 10, Ocon and Leclerc are all on the soft tyre. Kvyat and Vettel are on hards - and the rest, mediums.
Green flag
And we're now away for the formation lap!
The drivers come to line up to their grid spots, ready to take to the start...
Lights green
And the 2020 Italian Grand Prix is go!
A clean start for Hamilton, and Sainz immediately gets up into second! Norris powers past Bottas at Turn 4 - a stunning start for the lads in orange!
Botttas is dropping like a rock on a miserable first lap - Perez and Ricciardo power past the Mercedes driver!
Magnussen has pitted at the end of the opening lap, it looks like he was involved in an incident at the first chicane as the pack bunched together. Albon also lost out in the opening exchanges as he is down in 15th place.
Radio Comms
"Puncture, puncture or something," Bottas reports. He got absolutely swallowed up on that opening lap.
Hamilton's leaped into a canter, flexing the Mercedes power advantage to build a gap over Sainz.
On lap 3 Verstappen gets by Stroll under braking at the first chicane to move up to seventh place after a tricky start to the race by the Red Bull driver.
Radio Comms
"Pressures are good," Bottas is told. He seems to have got back into the rhythm.
The first corner incident involving Albon and Gasly has been noted by the stewards, as has Albon's coming together with Grosjean at the same corner on the second lap. Not the start the Red Bull driver would have dreamed of last night.
The stewards have already decided no investigation will be needed on the first corner incident between Albon and Gasly. More of a case of two drivers aiming for the same part of road and running out of room at the tight chicane.
Lap 4 comes to an end - Hamilton has 2.5s over Sainz, while Norris is a further 2.1s behind his team-mate. Perez isn't too far behind either.
Information
But the stewards have decided to investigate the clash involving Grosjean and Albon on the second lap.
Hamilton posts a 1m24.890s last time around to open the gap up to Sainz further - it now stands at 3.7s.
Crash
When it rains it pours for Vettel this season. The Ferrari driver has suffered brake failure on lap six of this race and has to take to the run-off area at the first chicane, battering through the polystyrene signs in the process.
Vettel confirms the brake pedal has gone, as TV replays show his left-rear brake catching fire on the back straight moments before he ran off-track. His race is over as he coasts back to the pits, but at least he has the opportunity to watch trackside again like he did after Q1 in qualifying...
Perez is hanging within DRS of Norris, bringing Ricciardo and Bottas with him.
Information
Albon has been given a five-second time penalty for his incident with Grosjean on the second lap. The Red Bull driver is currently P14 and chasing the Ferrari of Leclerc.
It seemed that DRS was briefly disabled on the straight, giving Norris a bit of luck as Perez was all over his coat-tails.
Perez had a look at Norris in the Lesmos, but the McLaren driver got a tidy exit and managed to find an advantage on that lap.
Hamilton had 5.9s on Sainz at the end of lap 10 - he couldn't be checking out faster even if he was shopping at Lidl.
Stopwatch
Hamilton ends the 11th lap with a 1m24.852s to further extend his advantage.
After his first lap pitstop Magnussen is on the hard tyres in 19th and last place, but he is lapping at the same pace as the drivers in the top eight - albeit aided by running in clear air on his own.
Bottas is taking a different line on the straights as he seems to be overheating a bit - and he's not used to running in dirty air.
We're waltzing towards the pit window here, Pirelli reckons the soft runners will come in at the end of lap 16.
Radio Comms
Hamilton is told to short shift to manage tyres, but is also told it might not be so healthy for the power unit.
Having lost seventh place to Verstappen early into this race, Stroll has dropped out of DRS range of the Red Bull driver. Those following the Racing Point driver - Ocon, Gasly and Kvyat - are holding station as the race approaches the pitstop window.
Now, Bottas' cooling woes has brought Verstappen right on his six. It's going to be a tight battle for sixth if Bottas can't speed up.
Radio Comms
"I can't race with these engine settings, it's a joke," Bottas complains. The usually cool Finn is feeling the heat.

By: Jake Boxall-Legge

Published: