Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton capped a perfect live betting weekend at Autodromo Nazionale Monza as he took the F1 Championship lead for the first time this season, a day after he broke the record for the most number of career pole positions.
Italy was supposed to be Ferrari’s domain. In front of more than 93,000 fans in attendance at Monza, how could they not be the online betting favourites in the Italian Grand Prix?
However, after Hamilton took the pole in the qualifying amid treacherous wet conditions, sports betting pundits knew that he would be unstoppable.
And the Brit didn’t disappoint as he breezed through the chequered flag after 53 laps, four seconds ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas and 36 seconds in front of Ferrari ace and title rival Sebastian Vettel.
Hamilton’s win was never in doubt and was one of the most one-sided results of the season.
Williams’ driver Lance Stroll, who started second on the grid, threatened the 32-year-old on the run down to the first corner, but it was a brief challenge that Hamilton fought off before pulling away from the chasing pack.
The intense battle, nonetheless, was the one behind him as the other drivers fought for the remaining podium places.
Bottas and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen went head-to-head right from the start; and although Raikkonen initially won their Lap 1 duel, the 28-year-old Mercedes driver came back and regained his lead before passing Stroll and Force India’s Esteban Ocon to get to second by Lap 8.
Vettel, who started sixth, fought hard and made it to third on Lap 8, but the Mercedes drivers were already in total control. The German ace was then left with no other choice but to lessen the damage and settle for third.
“The team did an amazing job. Valtteri did a great job. Mercedes power is better than Ferrari power so that’s one thing,” Hamilton said after the race.
Another standout performer in the race was Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who staged several overtakes to climb to fourth from 16th. The Aussie was out of the picture in the beginning, but he clawed his way back and eventually found himself in contention for the podium after overtaking Raikkonen for fourth with 12 laps to go.
The win put Hamilton (238) three points ahead of Vettel (235) in the driver standings, just two races after the F1 tour resumes.
It was a crucial victory for the Brit as they now head to Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix, where Ferrari are expected to have the advantage.
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