Ricciardo wins F1 Italian GP after Verstappen/Hamilton collision

Ricciardo took the lead from Verstappen with a great start and led every lap on his way to scoring a famous win for McLaren, heading home a 1-2 for the team ahead of Lando Norris.

It ends a nine-year winning drought for McLaren, with the British outfit’s previous victory coming at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo had dominated the opening stint of the race to stay ahead of Verstappen but the Australian’s route to an eighth career victory was cleared when Verstappen and Hamilton came to blows at Turn 1 in a dramatic incident.

Polesitter Verstappen had dropped down the order following an awful pit stop and was trying to pass Hamilton as the seven-time world champion emerged from the pits following his own stop.

Verstappen attempted to go around the outside but the pair collided at the exit and both cars ended up beached in the gravel, with Verstappen’s Red Bull landing on top of Hamilton’s Mercedes.

It came after a clash on the opening lap when Verstappen had forced Hamilton to run wide at the della Roggia chicane as the pair battled it out for second place, with Hamilton dropping back behind Norris to fourth.

The Monza clash marks the second time this season Verstappen and Hamilton have collided, following their controversial crash at the British Grand Prix in July.

Ricciardo aced the restart following a lengthy safety car period, while teammate Norris jumped Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to move into second, securing McLaren’s first 1-2 finish since the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix.

“For anyone who thought I left, I never left," Ricciardo exclaimed over team radio after crossing the line. 

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas turned in a stunning recovery drive from the back of the grid to complete the podium in third after Sergio Perez, who finished third on the road, was demoted to fourth with a time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when he passed Leclerc.

Leclerc subsequently took fourth ahead of the penalised Perez, while Carlos Sainz finished sixth in the second Ferrari. 

Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, George Russell and Esteban Ocon completed the rest of the top 10. 

Full results from the 2021 F1 Italian Grand Prix.