F1 Italian GP live commentary and updates – race

THAT'S IT FROM US

We'll be back-u in two weeks for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Grazie Monza!

A flyover takes place as the national anthem is performed.

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images

Well that makes the final rounds of the season look potentially more interesting, doesn't it? Max Verstappen for another championship?

Stranger things have happened – the emperor Caligula planned to make his horse Incitatus a senator, for example...

Our man at 'mic one' in the pen reports that Lance did indeed follow the wisdom of Ronan Keating and said nothing at all.

"That was nice, that – I watched it in my mirrors" says Norris to Piastri in the 'green room' as they watch the replay of Piastri passing Leclerc in the middle of the Lesmos on the opening lap.

Stroll the last of the finishers today, making a late stop of softs to no avail. We predict no more than a minute of audio from his 'pen' session later.

In other grass/gravel-scattering news, here's Lance Stroll being inconvenienced by Esteban Ocon in the early stages. 

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

This may be the fastest grand prix ever, but we're not in such a hurry to close down this live commentary without a few more photos from the day. Here's Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson tripping over one another...

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Photo by: Joe Portlock / LAT Images via Getty Images

We can predict, with the accuracy of a caesium oscillator, that McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is looking forward to his post-race media session about as much as you or I looks forward to receiving their 10th LinkedIn email of the day.

Five-second penalty for Antonelli for "driving erratically". That will put him behind Bortoleto in the final reckoning.

Ocon is the last to pit, after doing the whole race so far on one set of hards.

He filters out in P15. Nice try though.

Meanwhile Verstappen sets fastest lap of the race despite repeated entreaties from 'GP' to not take any risks. He should know better by now...

Beginning of lap 52, Verstappen in 19.151s ahead. They can gently pre-uncork the champagne in the Red Bull garage.

At the moment Piastri isn't even within DRS range of Norris, so don't expect a cliffhanger battle for P2.

Max Verstappen having a giggle on the radio about the McLaren situation. Easy to do when you're in a one-car team..

"Is a slow pitstop part of racing?" Piastri asked. Start printing those t-shirts now.

The McLarens swap places with five laps to run.

Hindsight will be in full flow after this race. Ahead of those stops, Norris declined to be first in, maximising Piastri's chances of staying in front of Leclerc.

Piastri is told to let Norris by, on the grounds this is "similar to Hungary last year". They are free to race afterwards.

Piastri is not happy, although it's difficult to tell.

So after that malarkey Verstappen leads by 18.2s from Piastri, with Norris 2s behind.

Norris heading into the pits at the end of lap 46, soft tyres - 5.9s stop!

This will set the tinfoil hats crinkling.

Replay of the stop indicates that the front-left wheel gun needed a second application to get the wheel properly tight.

That gives Piastri 4.2s in hand over fourth-placed Leclerc.

McLaren pit crew out.

Piastri into the pits at the end of lap 45 - softs! 1.9s stop time.

He's still got a mountain to climb...

If Piastri stops now, it would have to be a crisp one to keep him ahead of Leclerc.

Verstappen has been circulating around a second a lap quicker than the McLarens - he's now 12.2s off Piastri (lap 43).

So if the papaya posse pit, they will likely emerge over 14s behind Max based on the current gap. 10 laps remain.

Hamilton has cleared both Stroll and Ocon, passing the Haas at T1 at the start of lap 43.

Up front it's 5 laps since Verstappen pitted and still no sign of the McLarens stopping.

"He just turned in on me like I wasn't there," complains Bearman.

Some ridiculousness between Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman there into the second chicane. Sainz went around the outside and Bearman appeared not to give the corner up, so he was still there as Sainz turned in. They spin in sync.

Based on the previous weekend, Sainz will probably feel the heat from the stewards for that one!

Hamilton praises his mechanics on the radio and apologises for overshooting his box.

That hasn't massively worked out for Hamilton in terms of traffic in that he's emerged in P9, behind Stroll and Ocon, who are yet to pit, and is nearly nine seconds behind sixth-placed Russell.

Hamilton, as we sagely prognosticated, pits at the end of lap 38.

5.8s the gap between the McLarens right now (lap 39).

Norris now in the lead and has put in his fastest lap of the race, 1m22.480 - but he has traffic ahead in the form of Colapinto's Alpine.

Verstappen into the pits at the end of lap 37. Hard tyres.

Piastri has also set his two fastest laps of the race on the two previous tours, taking four tenths off Norris on lap 36.

Russell passes Ocon for P7 at Turn 1 the beginning of lap 37. That wasn't for net position since Ocon hasn't stopped yet, but George needed to get it done.

Leclerc purple on his first flying lap on hards.

Hamilton bangs in his best lap of the race so a stop is likely in the offing for him.

Leclerc quibbles about the timing of his stop and is told "We will discuss it later", which is the polite version of Joe Dolce's Shaddap You Face.

Leclerc comes in at the end of lap 33. He had been upping his pace slightly relative to Hamilton in the laps before that stop. Hard tyres.

Charles emerges P6, 3.5s behind Albon, who has yet to stop.

Hadjar in at the end of lap 32, takes on mediums. Very much Plan A.

Gap update: Verstappen is 5.9s ahead of Norris on lap 33, with Piastri a further 5.7s down. Leclerc now 7s behind.