Lewis Hamilton wins Italian GP, becomes world championship leader

New Delhi: Lewis Hamilton is going all guns blazing as he backed up his record pole position at Monza by scooping a win at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. The win was significant as Hamilton now leads the world championship tally. This was Hamilton’s sixth win of the season. It was also the fourth victory at Monza and the 59th triumph overall to complete a perfect weekend for the Brit.

The 32-year-old, seeking his fourth world title, made a perfect start from his pole position to lead his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas home. Hamilton now leads four-time champion Sebastian Vettel by three points after the German finished third, 36.317 seconds adrift, in his Ferrari in front of a big home crowd on the weekend of the Italian team`s 70th anniversary celebrations.

Having won in Belgium last Sunday, Hamilton also became the first driver to score back-to-back victories this year. It was Mercedes` third one-two this season and the team`s 39th overall.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who started 16th after incurring grid penalties, came home fourth for Red Bull ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari, French rookie Esteban Ocon of Force India, Canadian teenager Lance Stroll and his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa. (With AFP inputs)