The Grand Prix of Italy turned out to be a true spectacle with a surprising podium. Pierre Gasly won the race, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lance Stroll. Max Verstappen retired with an engine problem.
At the Monza circuit it initially seemed to be a Grand Prix that would be won on the slippers by world champion Lewis Hamilton, but it turned out completely different. The six-time world champion was given a time penalty and thanks to a red flag, the field was shaken up considerably. Ultimately, AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly just managed to keep McLaren driver Carlos Sainz behind. Racing Point driver Lance Stroll came in third. It was the first podium since 2012 without a Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull driver.
The race ended in a serious disappointment for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman was not involved all weekend and in the end he was forced to give up the fight due to an engine problem. Although his closest rivals Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas scored few points, Verstappen missed out on a decent opportunity to catch up with them in the championship. Hamilton now leads with a 47-point lead over Bottas. Verstappen is third, 54 points behind the British defending champion. This weekend, Formula 1 will come into action at Mugello, a circuit where F1 has never entered the fray before.