Italian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen Wins Under Safety Car

 

Max Verstappen makes his first ever race win in Italian Grand Prix due to virtual safety car. He made it to the front row despite starting from P7 following five-place penalty served him at the qualifying session on Saturday. 

Charles Leclerc could not hold on to the pole as the Dutch driver sped on through the positions and took over P2 from George Russell. Though the pole interchanged between Verstappen and Leclerc for sometimes, the former in the end took the lead before virtual safety car for Daniel Ricciardo's car appeared to suffer engine failure on Lap 48.  

The virtual safety continued until Lap 53 as Ricciardo's car could not restart and Verstappen rode on in the lead and Leclerc followed in second position until the chequered flag. 

Ferrari's game plan on medium tyres when Leclerc pitted before the virtual safety car would have paid off as that would have given him an advantage over Verstappen on pace. Though he started in pole, he missed out on making his first ever race win in Monza due to safety car.