Verstappen wins in Monza, Leclerc takes second Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overcame a five-place grid penalty to win the Italian GP on Sunday in a highly strategic race as Ferrari let it slip on their home turf. Monégasque driver Charles Leclerc lined up on pole position having narrowly beaten Verstappen, who had a five-place grid penalty, which dropped him to seventh. Teammate Carlos Sainz finished third on Saturday, but a grid penalty saw him drop back to 18th. It was English driver George Russell who therefore lined-up next to Leclerc on the front row of the grid on Sunday. Leclerc comfortably held his lead off the grid, but the real danger was further back. By the first corner of the second lap, Verstappen had already made his way up to third. The reigning world champion clearly had pace, as he has in recent races. But this race was as much decided by strategic calls and tyre degradation as it was by raw pace. Leclerc saw an opportune moment to make an (almost) free stop under a virtual safety car, and took it. However, it was too early, and Verstappen could hugely extend his first stint, allowing to take the advantage of his increasingly distant title rival.