Leclerc ends Ferrari's wait for Italian GP win, Vettel 13th

Charles Leclerc withstood pressure from Lewis Hamilton and then Valtteri Bottas to end Ferrari's nine-year wait for an Italian Grand Prix victory with a brilliant drive at Monza.

Leclerc led away from pole position but was made to work hard for it in the middle of the race, twice defending hard from Hamilton as the five-time world champion piled on the pressure. Leclerc, who claimed his maiden F1 win seven days previously at the Belgian Grand Prix, first got his elbows out to defend his lead on Lap 22 when Hamilton got close. 

The Mercedes driver was forced wide at La Roggia chicane when he went for an overtake, before a Leclerc error at Turn 1 opened the door again on Lap 34. On that occasion, Leclerc blocked Hamilton from having another attempt, and it was as close as the Englishman would get to a sixth Monza victory.

Bottas took up Mercedes' charge when Hamilton's tyres gave up the fight but Leclerc was relentless out in front, putting Ferrari on top of the podium at Monza for the first time since 2010.

Speaking immediately after getting out of the car in parc ferme, Leclerc said: "I've never been so tired in my life. May I speak in Italian?

He then continued in Italian to say: "It was a very difficult race because I really wanted to do well here for the team, for the tifosi as well. To win here is a dream, it was a dream too last week for the first win, but in terms of emotions to win here is ten times stronger. Thanks to everybody -- I have no words."

Leclerc seemed to acknowledge the fact he had pushed his luck at times. 

"I did a few mistakes, but in the end I finished first and I'm very happy with this. I have to be careful with the mistakes but none of them cost me positions today."

DANIEL DAL ZENNARO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

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Leclerc been left to fight the Mercedes drivers on his own after Sebastian Vettel made another error early in the race. Vettel spun on his own at the Ascari chicane and then, in a moment likely to fuel debate in the coming days, drove back onto the track and made contact with Racing Point's Lance Stroll. Vettel was given a stop-go penalty to serve in the pits -- the most severe punishment behind an instant disqualification -- which ended any realistic chance he had of finishing in the top ten. He finished a distant 13th.

Hamilton managed to minimise the dent Bottas was able to make to his imperious championship lead, pitting late on for a fresh set of tyres to grab the extra point on offer for the fastest lap of the race.

Renault enjoyed its best race result of the year, with Daniel Ricciardo finishing in fourth ahead of teammate Nico Hulkenberg. Red Bull's Alexander Albon was sixth position, although his race might have panned out differently if he hadn't been knocked off the circuit by McLaren's Carlos Sainz early on. Sergio Perez finished seventh ahead of Max Verstappen in the other Red Bull.

Italian driver Antonio Giovinazzi claimed his career-best result at his home race, finishing 9th ahead of McLaren rookie Lando Norris.