Pierre Gasly wins Italian GP as Lewis Hamilton gets hit by penalty
Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly secured a maiden Formula One triumph yesterday when he won a tumultuous Italian Grand Prix after crashes, penalties and safety cars had tipped expectations upside down at Monza.
The 24-year-old seized his opportunity and resisted late pressure from Carlos Sainz of McLaren to claim his team's second victory. Lance Stroll finished third for Racing Point.
It was Alpha Tauri's second win on Italian soil - the first having been scored for them by Sebastian Vettel when they raced as Toro Rosso in 2008.
Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton was on his way to a comfortable win yesterday before he was hit by a 10-second stop-go penalty for taking a pit stop when the pit lane was closed.
This pushed Mercedes' world champion to the back and the 35-year-old Briton eventually finished in seventh place.
Gasly, who was dropped by Red Bull to rejoin the junior sister team last year, jumped for joy as he leapt from his car after becoming the first French driver to win a GP since Olivier Panis was triumphant at Monaco in 1996, the year Gasly was born.
"I don't think I'm realising what's happening right now. We've been through so much in the past 18 months. I have no words," said Gasly.
Ferrari had another torrid outing with Charles Leclerc walking away after surviving a high-speed crash that led to the decisive red-flag interruption. - AFP
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now