Max Verstappen has shown once again that he's a serious level above the field as he stormed away to win the Italian Grand Prix.
Verstappen took the chequered flag in rather lacklustre fashion after the field crossed the finish line behind the safety car.
Aussie Daniel Ricciardo's race came to a grinding halt due to engine problems with only five laps remaining, forcing a safety car as his McLaren sat stranded half on the track and half on the grass.
Verstappen claimed his first ever Italian Grand Prix win ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes George Russell.
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The championship leader started from seventh on the grid after taking a five-place grid penalty, but made light work of the field as he jumped four places on the opening lap.
Only a handful of laps later he shot past Russell before Ferrari opted to pit Leclerc following an early virtual safety car.
VERSTAPPEN WINS THE ITALIAN GRAND PRIX
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 11, 2022
The Dutchman takes the chequered flag. Leclerc comes home in second with Russell taking the final podium spot #ItalianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/HEqXM7CLqp
From there Verstappen built a big lead over his rivals and was sailing towards his fifth straight Grand Prix victory before the late race drama hit.
Fans sat up in their seats hoping for a grandstand finish to the race with one or two laps of frenetic action, but it wasn't to be as the Italian crowd reigned down a chorus of boos.
Verstappen's lead atop the drivers standings now jumps to 116 points over Leclerc. He can mathematically secure his second straight championship in Singapore with six races remaining on the 2022 calendar.
Verstappen edges closer to his second title #ItalianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Le6Z9YHB4V
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 11, 2022
"We had a great race. We had really good race car and we were controlling the gap and then the Safety Car came out. Unfortunately we didn't get a restart," Verstappen said after the race.
Red Bull were caught out earlier in the race spying on their championship rivals following a Carlos Sainz pit stop. As the replays rolled and Sainz left the pits, an individual in Red Bull gear was seen peering into the Ferrari garage trying to gain some inside information on the rivals.
Italian Grand Prix results
1.Max Verstappen
2.Charles Leclerc
3.George Russell
4.Carlos Sainz
5.Lewis Hamilton
6.Sergio Perez
7.Lando Norris
8.Pierre Gasly
9.Nyck De Vries
10.Zhou Guanyu
11.Esteban Ocon
12.Mick Schumacher
13.Valtteri Bottas
14.Yuki Tsunoda
15.Nicholas Latifi
16.Kevin Magnussen
DNF: Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel
- news.com.au