(Monza) Dutchman Max Verstappen has set a Formula 1 record by winning a 10th Grand Prix in a row.
The Red Bull driver won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
“That’s a nice stat,” Verstappen said on team radio immediately after crossing the finish line.
Verstappen equaled the mark set by Sebastian Vettel in 2013 last weekend, triumphing at Zandvoort, in the Netherlands.
“I never thought something like this would be possible and we had to work hard today which made it more fun,” Verstappen said.
His teammate Sergio Perez followed in second place, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the podium.
The race was shortened by two laps, as starting procedures had to be restarted after Yuki Tsunoda suffered a mechanical problem during the warm-up lap.
Sainz started from the lead and withstood Verstappen’s onslaught for the first 14 laps. The inevitable finally happened at the start of lap 15, and then Verstappen was never really worried after that.
Verstappen’s lead at the top of the drivers’ standings is now 145 points and he is heading for a third championship in a row.
Verstappen also triumphed at Monza last year. He had never done better than a fifth place in the Italian GP before.
Perez also managed to eventually overtake both Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Sainz, on Sunday. Leclerc flirted with disaster by trying to pass Sainz at the start of the final lap, but barely avoided contact and ultimately settled for fourth.
“It’s very hard, very hard. It can’t be harder than today, Sainz said. I tried to keep pace with the Red Bull cars. My rear tires paid the price, but I tried everything to defend myself. ยป
Behind, Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took fifth and sixth place respectively, despite five-second penalties. Russell was punished for illegally passing Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, while Hamilton was found responsible for contact with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Williams’ Alex Albon finished seventh ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.
Quebecer Lance Stroll of Aston Martin finished 16th after starting from 20th and last on the grid.
