Monza, Sep 7 (IANS) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory during Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, leading home McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after a dramatic start and end to proceedings at Monza.

Verstappen and Norris went wheel-to-wheel almost immediately when the lights went out, getting close to each other down the straight before the Red Bull driver skipped the first chicane to keep the lead over the McLaren driver.

While Verstappen gave up the position to Norris at the start of the second lap to avoid a potential penalty, the reigning four-time World Champion was soon back on his rival’s tail and took only a couple more tours to reclaim P1 and surge clear.

From there, Verstappen appeared to have everything under control, managing the gap back to both McLarens across their opening stints, pitting earlier than Norris and Piastri to strengthen that advantage and then cruising to the chequered flag.

While Verstappen’s run to the finish was relatively serene, amid repeated messages from the Red Bull pit wall to avoid any unnecessary risks, drama developed at McLaren when a slow pit stop for Norris allowed teammate Piastri through for second.

Given the unusual circumstances, McLaren asked Piastri to move aside for Norris, after which they would be free to race. It was an instruction the championship leader initially questioned, but ultimately obeyed, thanks to a well-orchestrated swap.

Piastri settled for third, meaning his points margin over Norris came down from 34 to 31, with Charles Leclerc a few seconds further back in the lead Ferrari – the Tifosi’s dreams of a home win, or even a podium, not materialising this year.

George Russell delivered another strong drive aboard his Mercedes to finish where he started in fifth, while Lewis Hamilton recovered from his five-place grid penalty to cross the line sixth and at least give the Scuderia a solid double points finish.

After a tough Qualifying session, Alex Albon gave Williams some important points in the midfield fight with a fine recovery to seventh, followed by Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and the other Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who served a five-second time penalty for driving erratically.

Isack Hadjar was another Sunday star as he turned his pit lane start into 10th, leading home Carlos Sainz’s Williams and Ollie Bearman’s Haas (who banged wheels at the Roggia chicane late on), the second Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda and Racing Bulls team mate Liam Lawson.

Esteban Ocon was another penalised driver – after he was deemed to have forced Lance Stroll wide early in the race – en route to 15th position, with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto taking 16th and 17th respectively on a quiet afternoon for Alpine.

Aston Martin at one point had both cars in the points-paying positions, but their afternoon turned sour with a late slump for Stroll and an apparent suspension failure for Fernando Alonso, while Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg failed to start due to a hydraulics problem.

–IANS

ab/