Lewis Hamilton took over as leader of the drivers’ world championship for the first time this year on Sunday when he claimed a lights-to-flag victory as Mercedes dominated the Italian Grand Prix.
The 32-year-old Briton, seeking his fourth world title, made a perfect start from his record 69th pole position to lead his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas home for his sixth win this year, his fourth at Monza and the 59th of his career.
Hamilton now leads four-time champion Sebastian Vettel by three points after the German finished third, 36.317 seconds adrift, in his Ferrari in front of a big home crowd on the weekend of the Italian team’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
Having won in Belgium last Sunday, Hamilton also became the first driver to score back-to-back victories this year.
It was Mercedes’ third one-two this season and the team’s 39th overall.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who started 16th after incurring grid penalties, came home fourth for Red Bull ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari, French rookie Esteban Ocon of Force India, Canadian teenager Lance Stroll and his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa.
Mexican Sergio Perez took ninth in the second Force India ahead of Dutchman Max Verstappen, who had started 13th for Red Bull and suffered an early puncture.
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