Max Verstappen Wins Italian GP for Record 10th Straight F1 Victory

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race at Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit, in Monza on September 3, 2023. (AFP)
Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race at Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit, in Monza on September 3, 2023. (AFP)
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Max Verstappen Wins Italian GP for Record 10th Straight F1 Victory

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race at Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit, in Monza on September 3, 2023. (AFP)
Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix race at Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit, in Monza on September 3, 2023. (AFP)

Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen secured a record 10th straight win with victory at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, with a Red Bull one-two on Ferrari's home track.

Another flawless performance from the two-time defending champion saw Verstappen beat teammate Sergio Pérez by 6.802 seconds. Carlos Sainz Jr. was third, 11.082 behind Verstappen and just ahead of Charles Leclerc as the two Ferrari drivers battled for the final spot on Monza's iconic podium.

Verstappen had started second, behind Sainz, but eventually got past him at the start of lap 15 and from then on — just like the rest of the season — no one could match the Red Bull pace.

The record became all but a foregone conclusion as Verstappen began to pull away, swiftly building an advantage of more than five seconds five laps later.

The victory also saw Verstappen increase his huge championship lead to 145 points in a crushingly dominant season for the 25-year-old Dutchman.

Verstappen has won 12 of the 14 races for unbeaten Red Bull and matched Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight victories last weekend at the Dutch GP. Pérez has the other two victories.

It was a second straight victory for Verstappen at Monza. Before last year he had never finished the Italian GP higher than fifth.



Lewis Hamilton Paces Both F1 Practices on Opening Day of Las Vegas Grand Prix

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP
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Lewis Hamilton Paces Both F1 Practices on Opening Day of Las Vegas Grand Prix

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Lewis Hamilton attends the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II" at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton paced both of Thursday night's practices at the Las Vegas Grand Prix just two weeks after one of the worst races of his career.
The Mercedes driver was despondent over his performance in Brazil when he intimated after the race he wasn't even sure he wanted to finish the final three races of the season. Hamilton is moving to Ferrari at the end of the season.
“I didn’t really want to come back," Hamilton said in Las Vegas of his Brazil performance, where he struggled with the handling of his car, called it “undriveable” and “the bumpiest ride ever” after finishing 10th, The Associated Press said.
“If this is the last time that I get to perform, it’s a shame it wasn’t great, but (I’m) grateful for you,” Hamilton said on his team radio after the race.
Hamilton clarified those remarks in Las Vegas, explaining how frustrated he was by the Brazil performance.
“In the moment, that’s how I felt," he said. “I didn’t really want to come back after that weekend, but I think that’s only natural. It’s frustrating when you have a season like this, which I’m pretty sure I won’t have again, or at least I’ll work towards not having again. It wasn’t a great feeling in that moment but I’m here, I’m standing strong, and I’m going to give it absolutely everything for the last few races.”
He proved he can bounce back as he led both the first and second practice sessions Thursday in Las Vegas. He was followed in second practice by championship contender Lando Norris of McLaren and Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Max Verstappen, who only needs to finish three points ahead of Norris on Saturday night, was 17th in the second practice.
Hamilton and Russell went 1-2 in the opening practice, with Norris third. Verstappen was a more respectable fifth for Red Bull.